Shikyotenchi
by Blizzard of love
Summary: UNDERGOING RENOVATION. What if Naruto was taken in by someone with the powers of a god? What if this person trains him? 1st FF. NaruHina, SasuSaku, ShinoOC, T but that may change. Competent Naruto
1. Prolougue

**Hey well I've finally started writing so be nice just as a warning most of this chapter is introducing my character Akaken.**

Normal writing - human speech

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking**

_**bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_italics – people talking inside other's heads_

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"No" the man yelled at the others in the room. He had risen from his seat to tower over the others in the room, his eyes had changed from there normal sky blue to a stormy grey. He glared at each of the others in turn making the other three men shiver in fear they had never seen him angry before he was simply a young man who happened to strategise well and fight better.

"Akaken -san you have to we have no hope without you" a younger man pleaded, he was shorter but more heavily muscled despite his obvious fear of the man now named Akaken he had walked over in the hope he could win Akaken over.

"Don't even try it Yaiba-san" the threatening tone in Akaken's voice couldn't be missed his hair seemed to have changed from its normal dark brown to a blood red this more than anything seemed to scare Yaiba more than the small amount of KI that slipped out.

"Don't try to persuade him we can plan this without him" the final man spoke whilst moving a set of models from one side of the model on the table to the front of a relatively large town leaving only one set of soldiers guarding the left side against four sets of soldiers against them Yaiba was about to protest when he saw the sparkle in the other mans eyes.

After they had moved the entire army against three sets of skeletons he snapped.

"All right, All right. I give up Senshu I'll fight, but I'm warning you this could be the end of your war" Akaken moved the pieces back to there original positions. "I will reinforce the eastern flank take off a regiment and give us the catapults…"

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"Akaken, wait" Senshu was running after him his long black hair tied back in a ponytail. Akaken stopped. "I'm sorry I had to do that but"

"It's fine, I understand why you had to do it. Yaiba-san was right I am your only hope even if he didn't realise why. You are relying on be too much though it will kill you and Netsuai-chan. Speaking of which when are you going to propose?"

Senshu blushed fiercely "how?"

Akaken chuckled "I'm not stupid you know you two have liked each other since before I came and this battle could kill you both. Here" he held out his hand some earth leapt from the ground to his hand and formed itself into a gold band with a large diamond set into it. "Go before it's too late"

"Thank you Akaken, for everything"

"Go they will be here soon and I must begin the ritual"

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Akaken stood at the front of his regiment however he looked different the wings that normally sprouted from his back were pure white were now nothing more than skeletal although as he had proven earlier he could still fly. His armour covered his entire body no longer a clear diamond like substance but a blood red, a blue crystal mounted in his armour normally resembling a calm lake now held a tsunami however most noticeable was the fire that ran along his body a dark black thirsting for the blood of any who dared attack him. His sword normally unembellished now had a dark sheen to it and seemed to drink in the warmth in the air. He was no longer Akaken he was Shikyotenchi

They charged.

"Archers first volley." The air was suddenly aflame with burning arrows as the

first line of the Wolves fell. "Archers and catapults fire at will at the back of the army, Shield wall up pikes into position" Shikyotenchi cried as he fell back to the centre of the regiment.

"_The front line are starting to break, reinforce them_" came the voice of Akaken within Shikyotenchi's head.

With a slight grunt Shikyotenchi ran to the front his sword bursting into cold fire as he attacked with vicious that even the soldiers he fought for stayed clear not that he minded it was more fun when nothing got in his way.

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"Shikyotenchi-sama, Netsuai-san has been taken and"

Shikyotenchi spun round and growled "where?" his eyes now smoldered with a burning hatred rather than the fun.

Terrified by the sudden anger in his commander's voice the messenger could only point and stutter. Shikyotenchi looked out at the black spire at which the messenger had pointed at. "Tell the Captain we fight till they break then loosen up on the catapults and shoot them while there routing" with that said he took off for the black spire.

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"You have come too late Akaken the girl is ours for all that boasting about your incredible battle powers" a nasty voice boasted from the corner.

Shikyotenchi's fist was suddenly in his face as he finished his boast his eyes widened as the force of the punch drove him through the blackened iron of the wall. Shikyotenchi ran up the rest of the spiral stairs as a feral snarl grew on his lips they would pay for the injustice to his other half.

As he entered the room at the top of the stairs he saw a tall man with a curved knife held above Netsuai body.

"NOOOOOOO" yelled Shikyotenchi diamond armour began to grow on her skin even as the dagger fell just before the dagger pierced her skin time stopped.

"**It is time**" a deep voice within the back of Shikyotenchi's mind declared despite its demonic tones Shikyotenchi could hear regret in his voice. He struggled in vain against this monsters invisible hold his body was torn apart and dragged out of the world and into the aether between worlds. The last thing he saw of that world was her lack of an engagement ring as the dagger plunged into her heart.

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"He will be a hero Sarutobi-sama greater even than me, keep him safe" those were Minato's last words as he gave his son to the newly reinstated Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato.

With Naruto safely in the crib Minato had prepared the Sandaime watched as in a great flash of light Minato summoned the Shinigami to bind the Kyubi into his son. Unknown to the Sandaime his summoning of the Shinigami had sent a signal into the aether.

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**Whew done at last please read and review even though I fully expect a whole lotta of criticism because that's what I've done to everyone else. **

**Till next time. **


	2. Chapter 1

**Wow I thought the other authors were just kidding when they said reviews kept them going,heh guess I was wrong. ****I'm not sure when the next update will be probably in January. Well enjoy the chapter **

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking**

_**bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking_

**Disclaimer****: hey yeah I forgot this last time so I don't own Naruto I do however own Akaken and all other OC's**

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"**Oh stop sulking already." **A voice rumbled in the fog of the aether. Here Akaken could loosely make out the form of the owner of the voice, it was tall and vaguely humanoid with the exception of spiky appendages protruding from his shoulders and knees.

"How would you know? You never had anyone you considered a friend, only playthings that amused you before you killed them." Came the sharp reply however his tears took the edge of his words.

"**Yes friends, people you** **have fun with and whose company you enjoy if anything I had more friends than you and I never put a wall of earth between us."** The figure replied his head tilted to one side as if confused as to why his friends were different to Akaken's friends.** "Anyway this is beside the point you have had to leave thousands of worlds behind all of them equally painful why does this one bother you so much? The only good I can see of it is that you have successfully proven that you can actually cry when you are nothing more than a spirit."**

Akaken wiped the tears from his eyes and said "The difference is she died never knowing how he felt about her but I suppose you wouldn't understand that. Still I suppose your right what's done is done and if I dwell on it you will simply enjoy it all the more." He sighed and for the first time in his one hundred years of existence looked tired.

"**Oh I don't enjoy it."**His voice took on an almost primal glee and Akaken could practically see him grinning. "**I live for it. Anyway as delightfully tasty as your self-piety is I came to tell you someone managed to summon one of the primordial beings."**

Akaken was visibly shaken, "What that's not possible, if it were one of the gods or at least Lord Death would know." He paused for a thought. "And you would be dad and I"

"**Would have been dead over a century ago, where is the point in that?" **

"Maybe, but I would have died with my wife and seen my child born" he smiled at the memory of his wife. "Anyway lets go there its not like there's anywhere better" _and maybe I can kill him for good. _Akaken smiled at the thought of his freedom.

"**Agreed if we go straight to the location there's less chance that the technique ****will be lost." **_**And if I can get out he will never be able to seal me before I can get away.**_

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"_Why me? Why must this always happen to me?"_ Naruto thought as he ran down the streets of Konoha. Since being thrown out of the orphanage two years ago this had become a regular occurrence and Naruto had quickly learnt the best escape routes from the mob. The Mob was larger than usual this had happened last year as well actually now that he thought about it, it had been exactly one year ago. As he was finishing the thought he felt a bottle narrowly miss his left cheek.

"_At least it wasn't one of those weird knifey things"_ was Naruto's only reaction to it, he had learnt years ago that if he recoiled the mob would get closer and through more things eventually leading up to a thorough beating when the mob finally caught up to him.

"_Finally" _He thought as he turned left sharply narrowly missing a fragment of glass which had smashed on the corner next to him. He had managed to figure this one out just a few weeks ago, the third slat from the right was supported on the other side enough that it could support his weight if he ran round the corner fast enough he could jump of the wall with enough height to throw himself over the fence.

"_Now I've just got to find somewhere to hide"_ After the jump Naruto had pressed his back against the fence he could hear the whisperings of the crowd.

"He cant have gone over"

"Nah not even he would be that stupid"

"Shouldn't we check?"

"In there house? Are you mad?"

"They'll kill him, cold as there eyes that lot"

Silently Naruto began creeping round the fence, deciding that if the mob were more afraid of these people than they wanted to kill him he probably shouldn't be here.

"mhph mhph" Naruto broke out into sprint after hearing this afraid sounds meant people, people meant pain. He broke into a clearing just before a gate the sounds were coming closer he hid in the nearby tree.

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"**Ready?"** The figure was starting to recede into the fog of the aether.

"As I ever will be." _"Finally I can get rid of him"_ as soon as the words were out of my mouth a huge tear in the aether formed a black fire along its edges but instead of destroying the space around the rip it was slowly working into the rip. Akaken stepped through it.

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In a burst of fire a man appeared in front of the gate from where Naruto was hiding he could see he was wearing a black mesh shirt with long sleeves with a pair of black ninja style shorts. His hair was a dark brown and tied back in a ponytail his eyes were a sky blue but held such knowledge and pain that after seeing them Naruto could no longer believe he was merely the fifteen years he looked.

He had begun to look towards Naruto's location when a large man looking about thirty five rushed into the clearing carrying a large sack on his shoulder.

He swore leapt to one side and swiftly placed the sack on the floor.

"You might as well just stand there boy" he directed his voice at the man who had just stepped out of the flames "It'll be quicker that way" he said with a confidant grin.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Akaken stood there bemused for a moment then began to laugh.

"hahahaha you think haha you can take me? Oh this is too perfect. I sorry I just watched one of my friends die then a mere kidnapper turns up to challenge me." "_dammit that kid had better take the hint an get that girl out the bag"_

"A MERE kidnapper? I am the great and mighty Shuurai I"

"Lightening strike? Gimme a break a slug could run faster than you. Even carrying the girl but since I could use a punch bag" He hit his chest with his fist. "Then give it you best shot" a mocking smirk appeared on his lips.

With a growl Shuurai flashed through a set of hand seals. "**Lightning Release: Lightening Beast" **A wolf about the height of a mans waist appeared and guided by lighting connected to Shuurai's hand ran at Akaken.

"Hm" Akaken said in a bored tone "You call that a Lightening Beast? Here let me show you how its done." He held out his hand and as the wolf jumped the lightening connecting it to Shuurai disappeared the wolf stopped turned and with a mocking grin grew and transformed into a huge dragon which playfully snapped at him. "But like I said I'm in desperate need of a punch bag."

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On hearing the mans need of a punch bag Naruto quickly glanced round worried he meant him.

No. He was safe. "_Wait a minute why did he look at me each time he mentioned the..."_

He jumped quickly to the right and hid again just in time to see the Cloud Nin fly through the tree barely conscious.

"_Shit I best grab that sack before he decides to use me!"_ Naruto ran for the sack.

"_He's going for the girl. I cant let him have her the wall was damaged in the last attack a Flash Step might give me enough time to take her eyes then Besshi can get them back to Kumo. But first…"_ He flashed through some hand seals.

"**Lightening Release: Five bullets"** from his hand five flashes of lightening appeared and instantly shot of towards Naruto's back.

"That hurt" the man was standing at his back.

"_What the… I didn't hear him move I'm slipping I gotta practice the villagers will actually hit me next time."_ Naruto finally reached the sack when…

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**Hehehe am I allowed to make you all hate me yet? Well I hope you all like it****.**

**Oh yes who thinks I should list the name meanings at the end of each chapter put your answer in a review **

**Read and review**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hey guys I finally got the next chapter done and since I've kept you waiting this long I won't keep you waiting any longer.**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer I do not own Naruto or any of the affiliated merchandise Akaken Akuba and any of the Oc's I do own**

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"What is the meaning of this?" Hiashi roared the veins around his eyes bulging in a active Byakugan, "Why is my daughter in that sack by the boy? And why is the Ambassador barely conscious against my wall?" His stance dropped to a low Jyuuken stance.

"Ah so you are the girls father, the meaning of this should be obvious as to why I'm here that could take a while to answer suffice to stay I turn up by the gate to see this guy" Shuurai groans with recognition of Hiashi's voice and redoubles his attempt to escape. Akaken looks at him before knocking him out. "Running towards your gate with a sack with a young girl in it what am I supposed to think? Although you are incredibly inattentive did you even notice the twenty foot dragon of lightening? And the weakling here wasn't exactly quiet."

"_Well he didn't call me a demon maybe he __won't kill me."_ Naruto carefully started edging towards the gate. The girl in the sack was just beginning to wake up she would be fine after all Shuurai had been gentler to her than the villagers were to him.

"What about the boy?" Hiashi asked his tone had quietened down after all there was no reason not to believe him and Kumo had been after the Byakugan for a long time.

"_Dammit lets see, what do I know about this clan umm. Actually I don't think this clan have ever tried to beat me they never helped but they don't join in."_ the girl began to stir next to him.

"Don't go" she whispered sleepily both men looked towards him a slight smile on Akaken's face.

"I assumed he was one of yours this complex can't just be for you. So what do I have to do now I assume there's someone I should take this idiot to?"

"Yes and take the boy too, he isn't one of mine no matter what my daughter may wish."

"All right I will take him with me to … who am I taking him to again?" Akaken asked confused.

"That would be the Hokage. But haven't you seen him already for your paperwork?"

"Paperwork?" he asked his pupils dilating in fear.

Hiashi chuckled "For the Hokage not you. Ill take you in the morning you can stay here for the night but what shall we do with him" he jerked his head towards Shuurai.

"No we will get this sorted out now but first…" He turned to Shuurai "**Elemental Binding: Spirit Cage**" his right hand flashed white before the glow enveloped Shuurai. He froze not even breathing as if time itself had stopped affecting him.

"What"

"now **Five elements: Fire"** a ball of fire appeared in front of them "**Water"** a small sphere which seemed to have waves bound inside it appeared behind and to the left of them "**Air"** across from the ball of fire and above the water a small twister formed "**Earth"** a large diamond appeared opposite the twister forming a box "**Spirit"** a similar white light to what had appeared earlier and glowed off to there left forming a five pointed star but now a circle had appeared around them all. "From these elements everything was made including time with this setup I can use all the power of my gods" he paused a look of concentration on his face. The scene outside the pentagram suddenly changed from night to day instead of the moon at its peak it was just past dawn.

"How?" Hiashi asked in bewilderment.

"Magic" Akaken replied with an amused smile "Now lets go to this who was it … Hokage?"

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"Ambassador! What did you do to him?" Sarutobi demanded "Hiashi, I would expect you at least to know better than to imprison the ambassador"

"He was" began Hiashi

"I'll answer that Hokage-san" Hiashi looked at him in shock

"-sama, the Hokage rules the village" hiashi whispered hoping that it had simply been a mistake he did not want to fight a man who had so easily dealt with the ambassador.

Akaken turned to him "-san I ruled several countries hiashi" a look of disbelief crossed his face.

"_I had known he was powerful but… no he must be exaggerating"_

"Now if I may continue" he paused the Hokage nodded for him to continue. The first priority was to get the ambassador the longer he stayed like that the more chance someone would see and he was not in the mood for fixing an international incident. "Thank you, when I arrived at Konoha last night I heard a lot of noise coming from the Hyuuga compound upon arrival I found this man carrying a sack with a small child in and another small child hiding rather well in the bush nearby since he" he flicked his head at Shuurai "was obviously more capable of fighting I stepped in to stop any such attempt I stepped in and managed to make him drop the girl whilst trying to get the boy to move her during the fight he attempted to kill the boy before he made it to her at which point Hiashi turned up so I incapacitated Shuurai and came here"

"Hiashi is this true?" The Hokage asked unsure whether to believe him or not

"Yes Hokage-sama" "_If I tell him we moved forwards in time he will think I'm crazy and the stories true as far as it goes"_ he motioned for Naruto to come forwards "The boy might be able to say more he was near my daughter and by his admission the boy was there the whole time"

"True, well Naruto is what he said true?" his gaze became kinder as he looked at Naruto.

"no Jiji he didn't come when he heard the noise he appeared in a huge ball of fire by the gate just before that man got out of the compound" Naruto's eyes glazed over "can you teach me that Jiji?"

"maybe later Naruto why were you in the compound I told you to stay out of peoples gardens" _"so he is on par with a kumo jounin and knows what I can only guess to be a kasai shunshin_ _he is dangerous I hope this doesn't end up in a fight._"

Naruto's voice became quieter "they were chasing me again and I missed the alley I wanted so I had to go over the fence." He was almost in tears "They called me a demon again Jiji and they weren't drunk this time"

"shhh Naruto I'll sort them out" The Hokage said "_damm it I cant tell him that people see things when there drunk this time_"

"_They call him a demon? Akuba?" _ Akaken thought

"**This is where one of the primordials was summoned he could have sealed a demon in the boy, like I am in you" **came the resounding voice of the monster sealed within him

"why was he not at home at that time of night?" Akaken asked

"His parents died in the Kyubi attack but he should have been at the orphanage" The Hokage replied absently

"**Kyubi was a demon who's power was on a par with me although he could be killed. A human life obviously wasn't enough for the Shinigami to find it worth killing him for" **

"_so he is our best guess to finding how do kill you? In that case I will adopt him" _

"**you don't need to go that far just study him the elemental eyes should be strong enough here**_**"**_

"_Still, you stopped me raising my son so I will raise him instead." _Before giving Akuba the chance to reply he declared"Hokage-san I will adopt the boy it will protect him and I have always wanted a son."

"you can't be serious your barely more than ten years older than him" Hiashi exclaimed

"Appearences can be deceiving I do not age. So how about it Hokage-san? You cant deny he would be better of with me than with the orphanage"

"His parents wished"

"His parents are dead and would not have wanted him chased by mobs. The circumstances have changed" Akaken cut in.

"Very well where is your house I will have his belongings sent there" the Hokage said as he resigned himself to an evening of paperwork.

"You had best come and see it, I will fetch his things later the less people who know where the house is the less likely he will be attacked there."

After leaving instructions for Shuurai to be taken to Ibiki for Interrogation and that he should not be harmed more than absolutely necessary. The sandaime Hokage left with a squad of ANBU trailing behind under a genjutsu.

**00000000000000000000000000000000**

"Here seems good" Akaken stated once the had reached a large clearing about three miles east of the village there was a small stream running a few metres back from the tree line, Konoha could be seen from some of the taller trees.

"Where? There is no house here. I cannot in good conscience allow Naruto to live with just the trees as cover" The Sandaime Hokage asked

"Patience Sarutobi-san, there will be." He paused and began to concentrate "**Five Elements: Fire**" a ball of fire appeared in front of them, despite fighting in the war Sandiame Hokage jumped at the sudden appearance of the fire.

"Don't worry about it Hokage-sama I have seen this before and If I'm honest he wouldn't have needed to bring us out to here to kill us, even here the ANBU could reach us first." Hiashi assured him as Akaken ran through the elements.

"**Spirit"** the ball of white light appeared off to there left and a circle of light surrounded the five points.

"**You want some of my power for this?" **Akuba asked

Akaken considered it for a moment "No it will be a good test of my power" he replied.

"**WHAT! Kid if you can pull that of you'll have about half as much raw power as I did"**

"Quit bugging me Akuba, I'm concentrating" Akaken had since changed the way he was standing his legs were bent with one arm pointing straight down to the ground but the wrist bent parallel his other hand was clawed over his heart. Slowly a house began to form in the middle of the clearing. It was circular like the Hokage building but with five points extending up instead of four, it was lower than the trees but took up about a quarter of the clearing.

"_I thought I had that much ea__rlier?"_ Akaken asked Akuba thankful that in his head at least he did not have to pant before the Dark God.

"**That time I was referring to my power now, the level you are at now you have half as much raw power as me before you split my soul."** Akuba told him his voice now holding a small amount of awe as well as respect.

"What the …" Sarutobi began his pipe dropping to the floor.

"You … asked to … see the house" Akaken replied panting "you can … go check it … if you want"

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**whew done. Actually I finished this earlier than I was expecting so I had better warn you the next update wont be till at least after the 20****th**** I had a review asking the name meanings so here they are. Also the Kasai Shunshin means fire shunshin but I cant find a translation for shunshin so it will stay in the romaji form **

**Name meanings**

Shuurai –lightening strike

Akuba –curse

**These were the only two used this chapter if you want the ones from other chapters leave it in a review**

**R&R **


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey I know I said it wouldn't come out till later but I cant stop writing Akakens haunting me **

**Akaken: damm right I am, you torture me I'll torture you**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products characters I do however own Akaken and my other OC's **

**I love that word Affiliated**

**Akaken: get on with the story already **

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"Well Naruto, what do you think" Akaken asked they were in the kitchen there was a small table in the middle made of a type of granite and the chairs were made of a similar materiel. Naruto was sitting on one of the chairs whilst Akaken was finishing washing the pans.

"It's Awesome, it's just like the Hokage building" Naruto yelled excitedly

"Glad you like it but I was asking about the food" Akaken replied pointing to the plate in front of Naruto "Sorry I don't know what you normally eat here but I don't know what else to make really"

"… its delicious, not ramen but good anyway" came the reply after Naruto had taken a bite. He flashed one of his foxy grins.

His guardian sighed "Alright Naruto you can drop the mask I wont hurt you"

"huh what do you mean" his grin fading slightly

"I mean I can see right through it so would the Sarutobi-san if he could look past his feelings for you." He turned round to look Naruto in the eye "you don't survive on the street as long as you did by being this stupid, my guess would be the noticeable you made yourself the less people worried about you, that stops now."

Naruto's eyes changed instead of there exuberant glow they became slightly colder, the eyes of a man who has learnt to live by himself. "very well you took me off the streets you deserve to know the real me"

Akaken smiled "excellent now tell me how much of what you said have you meant and how much was the mask?"

**00000000000000000000000000000000**

Finally back in his office Sarutobi relaxed with a sigh he became an old man again instead of the Sandaime Hokage god among Shinobi. He thought back to what he had just seen _"I hope Naruto understands quite how powerful his new guardian is. If he can learn that maybe I can finally step down"_

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"_Hmm I wonder if Naruto can learn that kind of power, it might be worth checking the betrothal contract it was for Namikaze Naruto __so it will have to wait until he announces his real name." _Hiashi thought remembering his daughters reaction to Naruto earlier.

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"Alright so you really do plan on becoming Hokage?" Akaken waited for Naruto to nod before continuing. "Right well in that case we had best start soon. But first you need to choose do you want to learn to fight Sarutobi's way or mine?"

"Yours" Naruto replied after a moment's hesitation "Jiji was obviously shocked by it meaning you can probably do more with it than he can."

Akaken smiled "good training starts tomorrow."

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Naruto was hiding in a bush. A young deer was grazing a few metres away. Naruto carefully raised a Kunai. In a single fluid motion he threw it, it imbedded itself in the animal's neck just below the skull killing it instantly.

A small smile graced his lips it had been three years since his Otou-san had insisted that he learn at least the basics of the ninja way. _"heh objecting to that probably wasn't smart" _he winced at the memory.

**Flashback**

"NO" Naruto yelled "I want to learn your way of fighting"

"You don't get a choice, and relying on one style of fighting is dangerous." Akaken replied "if you keep fighting me with this you can learn it by yourself"

"Fine I will"

**Flashback ends**

He'd been locked out and starved for a week before he managed to kill a rabbit even then he needed Akaken to show him how to cook it. He never objected to Akaken's methods again.

He finished preparing the deer Since Akaken had proven he had no objection to letting him starve to prove a point Naruto had taken to keeping some dried meat with him at all times.

"Naruto" Akaken's voice snapped him out of his reverie

"Hai Otou-san" Naruto yelled back it always amazed Naruto how Akaken could use the wind to call him from the house wherever he was.

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"Alright Naruto, its time for me to start to teach you how to fight" Akaken stated they were on top of the house the five points jutted up from the building Naruto was sure they had gotten bigger since he had first seen them.

"Alright you remember what I told you, the energy I use comes from the gods depending on which element is your dominant element you have more power over that particular element. For example my dominant element is wind even now that I can control all the elements wind comes more easily" at that moment a small gale picked up swirling the leaves at his feet "now I want you to concentrate on the what you can feel in your heart" he waited for Naruto to close his eyes before calling on his own power to call forth the pentagram he had laid on top of the building but instead of the normal elements at each of the points they ended on the peaks on the building.

"I can feel something it's like a warmth but different" Naruto mused aloud his eyes still closed.

"That's good now I want you to concentrate on forcing that energy out and onto the floor" _"He can feel it this soon! It takes most people nearly a month to find it let alone force it out"_ slightly surprised Akaken noticed that the peaks were slowly changing colour and other elements where appearing in-between them. _"Akuba this isn't…?"_

"**Yes it is, but I never expected to see this"** Akuba's voice rumbled through his mind

"_How is that even possible you should have an affinity for the major elements not the fusions."_

"**I suspect it will be because of the Kyubi he had an affinity for all the elements as well. You may as well stop the test you won't get a reading till you stop Kyubi trying to add its strength."**

"All right Naruto stop" Akaken called

"Why? It felt … powerful" Naruto shuddered only now realising how addictive power could be.

"I was hoping to keep this from you for a while yet but I guess since its starting to interfere with your training you should know, meet me in the living room"

**00000000000000000000000000000000**

"_yeesh where to start"_ Akaken thought Naruto's curse was so tied up in other stories it was hard to know where to start that and he didn't want to scare the boy into thinking he actually was the Kyubi.

"**Start with me that will stop him thinking of himself as a demon"**

Seeing Naruto had come in and made himself comfortable on a large chair next to the small coffee table he sat opposite him

"_What is this about I did exactly what he said. Didn't I?" _Naruto thought glad he remembered to pick up some dried meat earlier.

"Naruto what do you know about souls?" Akaken finally asked

Surprised by the question Naruto thought for a moment "they are what make the difference between a living being and an inanimate one, your world is the only place where souls are completely good but some demons here are completely evil. Um that's about it I think." Naruto replied trying to think what he missed

"True, mostly, even here most demons are not completely evil. However what you did not mention is that souls can be used to bind other beings within them and providing the souls are sufficiently different they remain separate one being bound by the other. Like an island in a river any animals on that island cannot escape without outside help." Akaken looked at Naruto to see how he was taking this.

"So this is what happened with the Dark God you split its soul and trapped it in people?" Naruto said feeling sorry for whoever had the dark god trapped within them.

"Not quite the Dark god was too powerful for even the … fragments to be sealed in people so we sealed them in things without a soul and there opposite element so we sealed water in the sun for example. Except" he sighed "Spirit was stolen and refined into a weapon this fragment of him was sealed inside me to stop it being unleashed rather than destroying worlds it was focused in me, its sole purpose in life now is to torture me for all eternity not just physically but emotionally too" he indicated the photo next to Naruto. He picked it up.

"She was your wife wasn't she?" Naruto asked feeling a sorry for his Otou-san

"Hai, Bikutoria and I were married three months before I left for the battle with the Dark God we were in the middle of a war Naruto" he said chuckling at Naruto's expression Naruto knew he had only been fifteen before he was cursed "We were considered adults after our first kill. Part of the torture is our separation. But back to the subject at hand you also have a demon within you."

"What!!! But no demons have attack… oh" he paled at the thought "You mean"

"Yes but remember what I said Naruto you are not the Kyubi" Akaken reminded him.

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"**So he finally knows. hehe he'll have fun dreams tonight"**

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**And cut. Yay done earlier than I expected too Oh dammit now I don't have an excuse to revise *cries* lol anyway here are the names or name**

**Bikutoria – Victoria**

**Anyway R&R**


	5. Chapter 4

**Hey guys I finally got round to writing the next chapter sorry about the length but hey, let the chapter begin**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products characters I do however own Akaken and my other OC's **

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"Nooo" Naruto woke with a gasp sitting bolt upright "_just a dream that's all a dream"_ he thought looking around at his room he was in a large single bed a small cabinet beside him and a sheath with a kunai hidden in the woods decoration.

**Flashback**

A young women was chained to a post in the middle of a large sealing circle she was screaming to the men outside the circle chanting despite her tears.

"Let me go I never did anything" she yelled.

The largest of the men stopped chanting "it is not about what you have done but what you will do, you will stop the killings"

A large, red sphere of energy appeared in the circle malevolence poured off it. It seemed to be nothing but hatred, it rammed itself against the edge of the circle causing a flash of blue light to appear stopping it from leaving. It seemed to turn. A vertical slit opened down its centre, too dark and malevolent for any word to describe. She could practically see its grin.

"n n no" she stuttered trying to hide behind her self.

The sphere flew straight at her and into her chest. She sagged. The men out side the circle looked at each other whispers of "is it done" and are we sent went round. Then the convulsions began. The men all felt a sudden drain on their chakra fortunately or them it stopped before any of them collapsed.

"It's done, she conquered it" the Leader yelled a cheer broke out from the crowd. One of the men near the edge of the circle collapsed, across the edge of the circle.

The women's head jerked up and they saw her eyes. They were blood red with a single slit through each of them "die, Teme" her cheeks elongated whilst her ears receded and she grew large pointed ears on the top of her head, in a matter of seconds she had gone from a relatively small young women to a fox three or four times larger than any of there buildings, and angry didn't even begin to cover what it felt.

Those that had not been instantly crushed by the transformation stared in shock as its nine tails decimated their village in a matter of seconds

**Flashback ends**

At that point Naruto saw Akaken waiting by the door "you ok kid?" he asked. Naruto nodded not quite trusting his voice yet.

"Don't lie Naruto, I can see you're shaken from here" he came in and sat on the end of Naruto's bed "what is it?"

"Just a dream, really" Naruto finally managed _"although they've never been quite this vivid it was almost … a memory"_

"I think Naruto there's more to it than that" "_Akuba could the Kyubi do this"_

Akaken asked

"**Easily after tapping into what I can only assume was its power over the elements and going almost straight to sleep the seals ****power would be weakened"** Akuba replied

Akaken sighed "alright Naruto I think this is the Kyubi's doing"

"What!! But I thought the seal kept me safe?"

"So did I, But since it doesn't best get it sorted out now"

"how" Naruto never had time to finish that sentence before Akaken's hand turned white and he thrust it through his skull.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Wha? Where am I?" Naruto asked looking around he was in what appeared to be sewer but he was unclear as to how he was standing on top of the water. The walls were a ochre not unlike the colour of a foxes fur in the middle of a large opening in front of him he could see a row of large gold bars which looked like the front of a jail cell.

"We are in your mind Naruto" Akaken said appearing behind him "specifically this is where you keep the Kyubi imprisoned"

"huh? I thought that was in my soul" Naruto asked

"For this purpose they are one and the same" came another voice appearing behind him he looked almost exactly like Akaken however instead Akaken's normal smile his face was cold and showed no emotion.

"Shikyotenchi? Huh should have guessed you'd be here." Akaken said surprised at his appearance "Naruto this is Shikyotenchi, he's a little bit like a twin"

"what? I've never seen him before." Naruto said

"And hopefully never will he only really exist in my head. Or his head. We are not sure which but basically instead of dealing with physical pain and emotional pain from the war the original split them apart the side that feels emotional pain is me because I have emotions but I don't feel physical pain"

"I, on the other hand, have no emotions and can make decisions based purely on logic however I feel physical pain" Shikyotenchi said

"**To sum it all up there both insane"** a third voice said emerging from the shadows

"let me guess, the original?" Naruto said sarcastically

"**Me!!! There original!!! You insult me."** the voice rumbled

"This is Akuba the demon I hold." Akaken said now Naruto turned to look at him. He was huge with black scaly hide his face was distorted and large fangs protruded from his jaw his arms were nearly as large around as Naruto's thighs he had bony protrusions from his back as well as jagged spikes from his shoulders. He flashed a grin at Naruto revealing row upon of sharp, jagged teeth.

Shocked by the grin Naruto jumped back towards the bars before staring in wonder at the cage barely noticing that he was moving forwards until.

Slam!! Naruto jumped back as five huge claws at least as tall as him smashed into the ground in front of him.

"**Hahaha you should see the look on your face kid" **Akuba roared with laughter **"I haven't since a look like that since I did that to Akaken"**

"Your claws weren't that big" Shikyotenchi stated in a flat monotone putting an instant downer on the moment. Now that they were all quiet a soft laughter could be heard Naruto turned round to look for the source it didn't sound like a huge demon fox.

There in the middle of the floor, rolling with laughter was a young women about fifteen maybe sixteen, she had long red hair which reached her shoulders her eyes were a light almost icy blue. She was wearing a red kimono which completely covered her chest the bottom of the kimono had a slit going down both sides starting about mid-thigh the kimono itself finished at about her knees. The Obi was tied slightly above her waist and tied into a bow. The only other thing they could see she was wearing was a black choker with the Kanji for seal written on it.

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**Yay**** another chapter done actually this story is starting to scare me its writing itself!!! But anyway the only name used in this is Kami which means God. Who is that women? All will be revealed next chapter sorry the chapter's shorter than the others I might actually be able to make it up next chapter.**

**As always R&R**


	6. Chapter 5

**Hey guys I'm back with a really long chapter its nearly three times as long as the last seriously anyway I'm looking out for a beta so if you want the Job leave a review or PM me.**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products characters I do however own Akaken and my other OC's **

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Wha? What happened to the fox" Akaken asked looking around. The girl just giggled at his puzzled expression.

"You. You're her, aren't you?" Naruto asked remembering his dream "But you turned into the Kyubi."

"Yep" she dimpled at him "and now I'm not. What did you prefer my fox form?" she looked down, hurt.

"n no of course not" _"who would have thought it. A demon hurt because someone thought she looked better as a fox"_ Naruto thought.

"Aww thank you" she bounced towards him. A sudden flash of gold.

"Itai, I forgot that happened" she had landed hard on the floor a few metres away from Naruto.

"Um excuse me …" Shikyotenchi asked his eyes looking straight at her despite her slightly revealing position on the floor.

"Kokoro my names Kokoro Bara" she said standing up "what are you doing here? It's his head." She said pointing to Naruto

"We need to train Naruto and the Kyubi's chakra keeps us from determining his elemental affinity." Shikyotenchi stated

"Oh? His chakra normally strengthens human chakra."

"We do not use chakra, just its spirit component. The Kyubi has an affinity for all of the elements stopping him accessing his own properly."

"Oh how odd. Even when I was still had a body of my own we used chakra. Anyway if it's such a problem I'll try and restrain it for now but Naruto controls it really."

"Huh but you're the Kyubi" came Naruto's puzzled response.

"Really? Cos' last I checked I didn't have a tail. Then again that was nearly four hundred years ago" she mused

Naruto flushed "uh sorry"

"Ah don't be I guess I should explain. Take a seat it could take a while" Kokoro said.

"Um where do we sit" Akaken asked

"Ask Naruto its his head" Kokoro said on hearing this Naruto began experimenting five chairs appeared in the room "Thank you Naruto-kun. Now what you need to understand first is that the Kyubi is a freak. It is the only Biju which is not the incarnation of a natural disaster like Shukaku is the incarnation of sandstorms. Before mankind there were only eight Biju incarnating natural disasters then we happened. Kyubi is the incarnation of hatred." She paused letting this sink in.

"**Huh no wonder he seemed to hate me when we met"** Akuba said

"No more likely because the Biju are alive and therefore only fit to be tortured or killed. That's in your section of the Dark Book." Akaken replied

"Anyway what you call the Kyubi" at this point she pointed at Naruto "is just a physical manifestation and only happens because someone like me becomes a Jinchuuriki we make up the physical body and if are will is strong enough we can act as their conscience. Like that ever works I've heard that at the start you can control them but if you let them control you even once its over I gave in at the start your dream should tell you why Naruto-kun." Naruto nodded "The Kyubi itself is a spiritual entity which when it doesn't have a physical form can cause extreme misfortune"

"That doesn't sound too bad" Naruto said

"Don't underestimate misfortune we have a similar trick we call it marking. The marked person suffers increasing misfortune the longest anyone ever survived with it was two years. He was in a straightjacket in a padded cell with only plastic cups. When time came for him to be fed the nurse tripped in quake, the rest of the complex was safe it was localised to that cell only, she tripped knocking over the man whilst he bounce the chair shattered on part of the frame revealed for about a second when the man bounced back down the shard was upright and went straight through his heart. Nasty way to die"

"Kyubi could do that but it was almost instantly for what took you two years. That was why they had to seal it away in a person you can drive away something away if it has a body, now that I am sealed in Naruto he can use its power at will through me when he dies so will I and Kyubi will resume its spirit form. Oh before I forget Kyubi hates everything its chakra is similar if you use its energy too much it starts to kill you. Your body however has begun to compensate using his energy to speed your healing so your body heals faster than Kyubi can damage it that's why heal faster than normal. I need your permission to effect your body if I could, I could speed the healing even more"

"yeah go ahead" Naruto said.

"Thank you, we will leave Naruto stay as long as you wish but remember we start training in the morning" Akaken said, fading from Naruto's mind.

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"Alright Naruto you primary element seems to be wind with water as your secondary element" he paused to look at a scroll "Kami, the old man don't want much does he an two illusions and substitution. With this style the only way to perform illusions is to manipulate the light through your element so we can start with a Kaze Shunshin and use that as your substitution. We can work on Taijutsu in the afternoons."

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(Timeskip 2 years)

"Alright class we have a new student joining us for the exams, Naruto would you like to introduce yourself" _"I'd better be nice his Otou-san is scary"_

**Flashback**

"Umino-san a word please" Akaken said as Iruka was about to leave the Hokage's office.

"Of course Akaken-sama" _"perhaps he is not so influenced by the Kyubi brat after all"_ Iruka said thought

Akaken smiled "thank you, but you should probably know I can read people's thoughts"

"_He's"_

"Joking, is that the end of that thought" Akaken said his smile becoming more sinister by the minute

"_oh s%*t"_

"indeed, so here is your only warning" the wind was suddenly strong enough to force him against the wall Akaken's hand seemed to catch fire "if you harm my son you will spend the rest of your day's in constant torture that is a promise" with that said Akaken released the pressure and vanished in the wind.

**Flashback ends**

"Hello my name is Shikyotenchi Naruto, I like training with Tou-san and ramen, I dislike being grounded"_ "I swear those deer are getting smarter"_ "My dream for the future is to master the Kamiken." That said Naruto looked for a seat there was only one free next to a small girl at the back she wore a large coat despite the heat with a flame design on her shoulder.

"All right Naruto there is a seat at the back for you." Iruka said he waited for Naruto to sit down before saying "all right the first part of the exam will be Kunai and Shuriken throwing so if you all follow me and line up alphabetically"

**00000000000000000000000000000000**

"Shikyotenchi Naruto" Moved to stand in front of the target

"_Too easy their not even moving the target"_ He thought as he threw all the Kunai one after the other scoring a bull's-eye with each followed by the Shuriken which also scored bull's-eyes _"I guess this is why_ _Tou-san locks me out boar are good target practice if nothing else"_

The only other person to come close to Naruto's score was Sasuke who's last Shuriken whilst on target bounced of one of the kunai he had thrown earlier.

"Alright now we will move on to the Taijutsu portion it will be done in a tournament style the rules are as follows the fight is over when me or Mizuki-san call it no Nin or Genjutsu allowed the first match will be Kairai-san Vs Ungaii-san Begin"

As soon as Iruka called begin Ungaii charged at Kairai. Nauto stopped paying attention after that "_they both fight like brawlers_" was Naruto's only thought he started looking around and saw the girl who he had been told to sit next looking nervous.

"hey, you ok?" he asked putting a hand on her shoulder.

She jumped "y y yes I I'm fine" "_oh my god he's touching me he's actually touching me. Calm down hinata calm down"_ she thought remembering the last time they met.

"hey your that girl aren't you from when Tou-san turned up"

"y yes I"

Before she could finish Iruka called "Stop winner Kairai-san. The next round will be Shino-san Vs Aikou-san"

"no I'm not touching him he's covered in creepy bugs" a girl yelled

Iruka sighed "all right Aikou-san no need to insult the Aburame apologise" she did so "winner by forfeit Shino" the only sign of his annoyance was a low hum from his bugs "next round Shikamaru-san Vs Sentou-san begin" a large boy had entered the ring he was maybe six foot and towered over Shikamaru.

"What a drag, why have I always got to fight girls?" Shikamaru said

"What did call me?" he yelled as he charged Shikamaru "I'm gonna" Shikamaru had sidestepped the boy and tripped him in a single move never taking his hands from his pockets and put his foot on his neck.

"Winner Shikamaru next match Hinata-san Vs Tobari-san begin"

"You can do it Hinata-chan" he whispered she blushed and nodded looking more confident.

"Ha I got the easy match, you never hit anybody" Tobari yelled with a laugh.

Hinata glared "_I will prove I'm not weak, How dare she insult me in front of Naruto-kun"_ she charged waiting for him to sidestep as soon as he did she turned into a textbook spin with a crescent kick before placing a palm over his heart, an instant kill if she had been using the Jyuken.

Iruka's eyes widened Hinata had never shown such skill before maybe the demon brat wasn't so bad "Winner Hinata-san next match Ino-san Vs Sakura-san begin"

To begin with the fight seemed interesting both girls using the academy style Taijutsu but Ino was trying to stay back out of range Naruto lost interest.

"Nice fight Hinata-chan I hope I don't have to face you." Naruto said Hinata just blushed. Naruto laughed _"she is kinda cute when she does that"_ he looked over at the other girls in the class whilst Sakura was one of the more popular girls he couldn't see anything particuly special about her and she looked like she spent more time worrying about her looks than actually training Hinata however moved like she had been training all her life _"gah what am I thinking if anyone found out I liked Hinata-chan they'd make her life hell Tou-san cant be there for us all the time."_

"Winner Sakura-san" Naruto turned his attention away from Hinata to notice that Sakura had managed to land a decent hook on Ino who was currently on the floor. "Next match Chouji Vs Kiba begin"

"Akamaru you sit this one out" Kiba said to the puppy as he moved into the ring as he entered he took a moment to look what he was after he growled slightly as he realised that Chouji's body weight would prevent him from winding him easily. He charged looking to off-balance him and take down but Chouji stayed where he was and took the blow on his chest with barely a grunt before trying to hook Kiba he landed a glancing blow to his shoulder, but even that was enough to force Kiba back a few steps. As Chouji stepped forwards to finish the fight Kiba leapt forwards with a sweep tripping him. Kiba then span on his hands and drop kicked him to the face, or would have if Mizuki hadn't caught his foot inches from Chouji's face.

"Winner Kiba-san next match Sasuke-san Vs Kankyou-san"

"Hn" Sasuke entered the ring.

"_Finally my turn maybe I can take this emo down a peg or two then" _Kankyou's eyes wondered to Sakura

"Begin" Iruka called.

As soon as he called it Kankyou began to run at Sasuke and swing a punch at him Sasuke merely sidestepped and punched him in the face. Kankyou fell flat on his back.

"Winner Sasuke-san next match Naruto-san Vs Rokku-san begin"

"Be careful Naruto-kun" Hinata whispered

"Why" Naruto smiled back. Once he entered the ring he took a quick look at his opponent his first impression was big and probably a heavy hitter so he walked on and began "you know there was a story like this once, Tou-san told me about." He was walking slowly towards him looking him straight in the eye he remembered Akaken saying "_Distract the enemy then they go down easily"_ by the time he was right in front of him Rokku finally asked "so who won David or Goliath?"

"Me" saying that Naruto floored him with a punch to the face.

"_interesting if slightly strange"_ "Winner Naruto-san. Now we will move on to the second round the first match is Shino-san Vs Kiba-san"

Shino entered the ring as Kiba leapt forwards on all fours but Naruto lost concentration after it became clear that Shino had very limited skill with Taijutsu.

"t t that was a n n nice s story n n Naruto-kun." Hinata said

"Thank you Hinata-chan it was from one of the places Tou-san visited before he came here ironically David won, I think the giant was a bit of an idiot though"

"Winner Kiba-san next match Shikamaru-san Vs Hinata-san. Begin"

"go for it Hinata-chan"

"Troublesome, your enjoying putting me up against girls aren't you anyway I forfeit I can't beat the jyuken"

"_I was wondering when he would say something like that__"_ "Winner Hinata-san next match Naruto-san Vs Sakura-san begin."

"Now what you gonna do? That trick won't work twice." _"I can prove to Sasuke-kun that I am so much better for him than Ino-pig"_ Sakura thought

"Never thought it would" he said as he stood still tilting his head to one side "so are you gonna fight or just stand there and pose?"

"Arrgh" she charged at him as he smirked at her he dodged lightly at her punches "fight back already!!"

"If you insist" he sidestepped her punch grabbing her hand. Stepping under it he locked her arm before jumping over her back flipping her face first into the ground.

"Winner Naruto-san next match Sasuke-san Vs Kairai-san"

"n n nice fight n n Naruto-kun" Hinata told Naruto.

"Thanks it was fun she's so easy to annoy" he grinned at her a proper grin not one of the fake ones she remembered.

"n n Naruto-kun Don't be m mean"

"Winner Sasuke-san. Alright the first match of the semi finals is Kiba-san Vs Sasuke-san. Begin."

Kiba dropped into a low stance on all fours before crossing in front of him in a square pattern before dropping out and attempting to punch him. Sasuke stepped to the side before punching at his face Kiba dropped back throwing an axe kick towards Sasuke's chin. Sasuke caught the kick and attempted to use it to throw Kiba but he caught Sasuke in a scissor kick to the head. Sasuke went with the momentum before flipping over and axe kicking Kiba's head.

"Winner Sasuke-san. The final match of the semi finals is Naruto Vs Hinata"

"NO" Hinata yelled hurt before blushing with embarrassment.

"Hey its ok Hinata I wont hurt you, just think of it as a spar" Naruto said encouragingly.

"But what if I hurt you" Hinata said worried

"You won't"

"But"

"Don't worry it'll be fun, trust me" he flashed a smile at her and she felt her resolve crumbling who could resist that smile.

"_With my life"_ she said in her head getting up.

"Begin" Iruka called

Hinata dropped into her Jyuken stance. As Naruto stepped forwards and threw a light punch to her chin. She dodged to one side and tried a strike to his arm he spun away with a gentle uppercut as she darted back. This time he came to her a straight punch to the face no he was going to spin into a back fist. She dodged away from his punch and tried a quicker strike to his shoulder. Spurred on by her increase in speed he caught her fingers between his index and middle finger.

"Gotcha"

"Not quite Naruto-kun" she said too involved in the fight to stutter.

She twisted and kicked him in the ribs surprised he let go and staggered back. She came again in a flurry of strikes which he blocked quickly before stepping inside about to punch when she noticed how close he was.

"_Naruto-kun's so close I"_ she promptly fainted.

"Iruka-sensei what?" Naruto yelled as he caught her Iruka just chuckled.

"_heheh that's why she fought so well today. Who would have thought the princess and … the what he isn't the Kyubi that's for sure."_

"Its all right Naruto-san. Just put her down next to Mizuki-san. Mizuki the smelling salts are in the first aid kit. Since Hinata-san cant continue the winner is Naruto-san the finals will be Naruto Vs Sasuke.

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**done just a reminder I'm after a beta at the moment. Lotta new names most of them wont turn up again though.**

**Translations **

**Itai --- ouch**

**Kaze Shunshin --- wind teleport (Again not sure about Shunshin)**

**Kamiken --- God style/fist Naruto's Taijutsu style**

**Kami --- God **

**Names**

**Kokoro Bara --- Hearts Rose**

**Aikou --- Love**

**Sentou --- Fight**

**Tobari --- Act (in a play)**

**Rokku --- Rock**

**Ungaii --- Lucky**

**Kairai --- Puppet **

**As always R& R**


	7. Chapter 6

**Hey I'm back, you get the update early 'cause we have a snow day woot, anyway there will probably only be one more chapter before I go on holiday. Oh and you all get to welcome my Beta GreyWolf15.**

**Grey: Mwahaha...welcome me, r&r...or else. (Kidding, love you really)**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products or characters I do however own Akaken and my other OC's **

**00000000000000000000000000000000000**

"The Finals will be Naruto-san Vs Sasuke-san. Begin!" Iruka called.

"_Alright, think. Sasuke, what do you now about his style, think. Dammit! He hasn't used any style yet,"_ Sasuke thought, studiously ignoring the calls of his Fan-girls. He moved into the ring, trying to look like he wasn't bothered whilst furiously trying to think of how to win this fight.

Naruto stood in the middle of the ring waiting. _"I hope Hinata's all right. I didn't think I hit her at all. Gah! Concentrate! What do I know, he probably uses the Uchiha style, but judging by his earlier moves - he hasn't mastered it."_

Naruto leaned back and closed his eyes. _"Remember the feel of the wind. It will guide you; that's what Tou-san said." _Naruto concentrated -_"There,_ _just above my heart,"_ he opened his eyes in time to see that Sasuke, taking advantage of his lack of sight, had charged at him. His charge faltered as he saw Naruto's eyes had changed. They were no longer a deep blue, but paler, more grey, the colour of the sky in the middle of a hurricane.

Naruto spun, in taking advantage of Sasuke's surprise jumping up and blocking his punch, with his leg he turned midair to kick him in the head. Sasuke recovered, quickly ducking under the kick in an attempt to sweep Naruto as he landed. Instead Naruto seemed to hover in the air a moment longer than Sasuke expected.

"_What the… how did he do that?!"_ In his surprise, Sasuke almost missed the kick Naruto had aimed at his head, recoiling and sliding back he entered what Otou-san had always called the Chounai stance. _"Both legs bent, arms in front. This is the first time anyone has actually made me use this."_ In response to Sasuke's stance Naruto slipped back his legs, bent, but his arms held horizontal to his body one slightly more forward than the other, his wrists bent inwards and his fingers bent like claws.

"If you're too scared to come to me Sasuke-san, then..." Naruto had leapt forwards spreading both arms wide like wings before spinning into an axe kick "...I will come to you."

Sasuke, having stepped to the side, now glided in with a punch to Naruto's head. Naruto merely bent backwards his leg coming up and kicking Sasuke in the chin with enough force to lift Sasuke off the ground. He then spun on his hands performing a helicopter kick to Sasuke's midsection.

"Winner - Naruto-san!" declared Iruka, seeing Sasuke fly out of the ring.

"You have twenty minutes for lunch before we start the Ninjutsu section."

"T-t-that was a-amazing, N-n-naruto-kun!" Hinata told Naruto after he got out of the ring.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan," he said with a smile. "Are you feeling okay? I didn't mean to hit you hard."

"_He still cares!" _she blushed. "I-I-I'm f-f-fine," she finally managed to stutter.

Naruto sighed, relieved that he hadn't hurt her. "Good, hey - if you're not too busy tonight, do you want to come have dinner at mine?" he asked.

"I-I-I'd love to, b-but O-o-otou-sama might want me at the c-c-complex."

"Oh." His heart sank.

"B-b-ut if he l-l-lets me I w-w-would love to," her heart soared as she saw him cheer up.

"That'd be great Hinata-chan, I'll see you here at six, all right?" _"Heh, I probably should have checked with Tou-san,"_ Naruto thought, beaming _"Ah, he won't mind."_

"Hey you! Naruto-san, wasn't it?" came a voice from behind him "How did you do that?"

Naruto turned. "Do what, Sasuke-san?" Despite his outwardly cool expression he was seething inside _"Dammit can't you see I was in the middle of something?"_

"You know what I mean, you stopped in the air!"

"Hovered, the term is hovered," Naruto replied.

"Ho- " Sasuke was cut short by the bell ringing the start of the Ninjutsu test. Sasuke growled.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Hokage-san, I need to speak with you," Akaken called through the door. He heard whispers of "didn't you tell her we were not to be interrupted?" He rolled his eyes - did they really think that he was stupid enough to burst into a important meeting? And since the door obviously didn't have a silencing seal on it...he walked in.

"You cannot come in here, this is a private meeting!" The adviser to the Hokage's right yelled.

"Well it can't be that private since there wasn't a silencing seal on the door."

Then he heard the thought _"but I did."_.

"Whoops, sorry. You really need a better seal..." Akaken said.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now. Can this wait, Akaken-san?" Sarutobi looked down at the map before leaning back and taking his pipe out of his mouth. He sighed. "No, I guess not. You wouldn't come if you could avoid it, what is it?"

"Originally it was about the exam but now, well you're underestimating the problem already. If Mizu want a war the first thing they will do is ally with Iwa who will join because they hate you. Oto will want to join because as a small village near Iwa it would be threatened, if Kumo then heard they would either join or tag along behind for the Byakugan with such a large army villages like Ame and Suna will try to join to stop them turning on them. The only Village that will help you would be Kusa because the army will have to go through Fire country to reach them. You're dead, basically." Akaken told them.

The council members immediately looked up, their mouths open in large Os, then they looked at each other.

"Help?" the member on Sarutobi's right whimpered.

Akaken chuckled "Well, I guess it would ruin Naruto's day to be invaded. I'll help. What do the public think of the Mizukage?"

"The current one? He is known to be a pervert but other than that, they aren't against him."

"Isn't that enough?' Akaken said mildly, raising his eyebrows.

Sarutobi ignored him. "Succession wise, it's unsure - he hasn't designated anyone, and the country is split as to who should succeed him."

"All right." He paused a moment to think. "We should assassinate the Mizukage."

He raised his hand to stop the outburst of the advisors - "I can pin the blame on Iwa, that way both Iwa and Mizu will eliminate each other as a threat as well as take away the catalyst for the war. Without those two, Oto won't feel threatened and Kumo won't start a war it can't win."

"All right...we will send a team - " Sarutobi began.

"No, I will do it alone. I can't be traced back to Konoha yet and I can pull off the assassination - all I need is something to cause a chakra flare."

"Go to the ANBU Armoury; give them this." He wrote on a slip of paper. "Ask for Iwa. When you break a capsule it releases a chakra flare, an old student of mine managed to procure a dead ANBU chakra signal for each of the other countries for just such an occasion. I'll tell him we will need a new set"

"Excellent. I'll go tomorrow, the assassination will be about four days after so I'll be back a week after that. I had originally come about the Genin exam so if you will excuse us," he paused to allow them to leave before turning back to Sarutobi.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"W-w-what's wrong N-naruto-kun?" Hinata asked, seeing Naruto shiver.

He scratched the back of his head. "Yeah I uh, well my Ninjutsu isn't great." He grimaced - it was true Kawarimi he could emulate Henge, he could manage most of the time; he had figured out how to stop his scent escaping as well, but his Bunshin...

His musing was interrupted when Iruka called "Shikyotenchi Naruto!" He cursed and entered the room.

"All right, Naruto-san. Perform a Kawarimi with the desk." Naruto concentrated before the wind picked up around both him and the desk. Neither Naruto nor the desk could be seen, but when the wind died down a few seconds later, they had switched places.

"Very good Naruto-san. Now Henge, Transform into me."

This time rather than the wind picking up Naruto seemed to shimmer before taking on the appearance of Iruka. "Like this, Iruka-sensei?" His voice even matched that of Iruka's.

"Exactly, Naruto-san. Final test then - you may have your Hitai-ite, make three Clones." Mizuki started to worry at this point. _"If the Demon passes with full marks I will have to take the scroll myself..."_

"_I wonder what Mizuki-sensei is so worried about?" _Naruto thought. He took on a look of concentration, the air shimmered in three places and Naruto's form emerged. Unfortunately they could be seen through.

"I'm sorry Naruto-san, that isn't good enough to pass." Iruka said. He shocked himself in finding that he was actually sorry. _"And to think I was ready to condemn him just this morning."_

**000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto was sitting on the top of the Hokage building. It had started to get dark about an hour ago. He was still reminiscing about the test when Mizuki appeared behind him.

"You know Naruto-san, Iruka didn't do that to be mean." He sat down next to him.

"It doesn't matter, I didn't pass whether he was just being mean or not." Naruto told him sulkily.

"Now that is something we can change." Mizuki smiled.

"How?" Naruto was instantly suspicious.

"There is a second test just for people like you, who could have passed but didn't."

"What is it?" Naruto was still suspicious. If there was a second, Tou-san would have made him do that one using the god's powers - he was not suited the basic test. _"That's it! Tou-san mentioned a few days ago that one of the instructors was considering treason it must be Mizuki, what to do...if I can trap him and call Tou-san,"_ he smiled up at Mizuki _"Then I will both pass and Konoha will be safe."_

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto waited outside the Hokage Building. His Henge was better than most, since people did not expect to see anything or smell anything, they didn't and his wasn't limited just to him - he was to all intents invisible. He glanced at his watch. _"Eleven to six. Mizuki said the guard changes at ten to six."_ Sure enough, two more ANBU appeared, hidden behind one of the pillars and as a civilian Naruto admired their skill. There was only a fraction of a second when a civilian walked by, when he flickered and the other ANBU took his place.

Now that the guard had changed he didn't need to worry about someone having noticed the shimmering of the air when he hid, followed by the air being displaced as he entered. _"So far, so good - now the scroll Mizuki said it was in the safe. I wonder if I should actually take it?"_ As he entered the room, he felt the wind move around him.

"Take the scroll, Naruto. Mizuki-san is watching."

"_Tou-san I should have guessed! Still, he isn't stopping me."_ Naruto slipped in. Mizuki had said part of the test was figuring out how to open the safe. _"Too easy! It's a simple lock and the chakra detection unit has been turned off, heh Arigato, Tou-san."_ He placed his ear to the lock and twisted until he heard the tumblers click into place it reminded him of the time that that old lady with the cat had come to Konoha after she had her guards remove him from the Hokage building for trying to talk with the Hokage. _"Heh, she woke up with only one earring and I managed to live of those necklaces for a week!"_

He took the scroll and left.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000**

Hinata had practically skipped to the Academy gates. Hiashi had said yes.... kind of. She stopped when she felt the air move - _"Otou-sama is always worried I would be attacked if I left the compound by myself..."_

She formed the Ram seal. "Byakugan!" she called. No one around. Wait. That was Naruto's signature running towards the forest. He couldn't have forgotten, could he? _"No. With that scroll, he must be taking another test,"_ she thought, remembering how unhappy Naruto had been coming out from the exam room. _"Well the least I can do is be there when he passes."_

With that thought in mind, she chased after his chakra signature.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto arrived in the clearing. Mizuki said to meet him - now he only needed to learn a technique from the scroll in case someone else turned up first.

"All right. Let's see if there's anything I can actually learn in here."

He opened the scroll. Instead of a list of techniques there was a message.

"Naruto. Mizuki is a traitor. You may deal with him as such; here is a basic attack technique. It was one of the first I learnt as well as several variations on it. Akaken."

The first technique he saw when he looked down the scroll was the Kaze Yaiba.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Hinata was hiding in the bush near Naruto when she felt Mizuki's approach. She had become good at hiding over the last few years - after all, it was hardly befitting for a Hyuga heiress to be seen looking for someone like Naruto. Her father would have fifty fits.

"Naruto-san, well done. I must congratulate you on managing to steal the scroll. Now hand it to me!" Mizuki said, standing on the branch almost directly above her.

"No, traitor!" He laughed at Mizuki's surprise. "What, you thought I bought your story about a second test? Tou-san would have made me do that one instead, no matter the difficulty."

Mizuki thought fast. _"Oh s&*t, I need to throw him off balance and kill him quickly before his father finds me. Yes! That should do it."_

"Do you know why the village hates you, Naruto?" He didn't wait for a reply. "They call you demon for a reason. You..." he paused for effect "...are the Kyubi."

Hinata's eyes widened at the news. _"No, that's not possible. He-he saved me!"_

"Your point?" Naruto asked stiffly.

"Oh, and her name's not Kyubi. It's Kokoro." He smiled. _"Okay, that's enough annoying him. Let's see what this technique can do!"_ He waited for Mizuki to throw the shurikan before concentrating.

"Wind bullet!" As expected, the wind condensed. What he didn't count on was it cut straight through the shurikan - not slowing it at all.

"Naruto!" Hinata screamed, running at him. His eyes widened in shock of seeing Hinata. Then he gasped in horror as she tripped, but the wind picked her up and propelled her at Naruto. Faster than the shurikan. She thought she heard someone say

"Go, save my son." But the wind couldn't talk. Could it?

"Okay Naruto. Why don't you go to the Hokage now? He has your Hitai-ite, and you need to explain to your … girlfriend why you said you were the Kyubi," Akaken said, raising an eyebrow at the particularly compromising position they had landed in.

"No. I will deal with him."

"Naruto, whilst Hinata saved your life and our style works particularly well against ninja, you are too tired. Remember, this taxes your spirit as well as your body, on top of this - you no longer have the element of surprise. He is a Chuunin for a reason. This is not a fight you can win. Go." He commanded.

"Mizuki! It's time to die!" he roared as Naruto carried the now unconscious Hinata back to the tower bridal style. Before Mizuki could move, Akaken was right in front of him - "Now, since you have potentially ruined my son's friendship..." _"Akuba? Want to play?"_

"**When don't I?" **he grinned, as he came out of the aether and tore into Mizuki's mind.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**Whew, done - tell me, what do you think of the longer chapters? Anyway, no new names but here are the translations:**

Chounai- the block (if anyone does martial arts think fighting stance)

Kawarimi- substitution

Henge- transformation

Bunshin- clone

Hitai-ite- forehead protector

Arigato- thank you (informal)

Kaze Yaiba- wind blade

**Anyone confused over Tou-san and Otou-sama? Tou-san is like Dad and very informal, Otou-sama is how the son of someone, like a king or noble should refer to his dad when they have company.**

**Anyway R&R**

**GreyWolf15: Yes, R&R, or we will set the Fen Tiger on you. Only kidding...kind of!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Hey people****, I finally have this chapter, it was supposed to be fluffy but I don't know how it turned out - review and tell me please!**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products or characters, I do however own Akaken and my other OC's **

**Also the i****dea for the Night Shark Came from James Clemens' books and is based on the sand shark dish**

**000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"So now you know what I am…" Naruto said, as Hinata woke up. They were in an antechamber to the Hokage's office. There were two others in the room, but both were keeping their distance and could not hear what they were saying. Hinata was lying on a bench with Naruto sitting on the floor in front of her. Mizuki's screams had stopped an hour ago. Naruto was hoping that was because the ANBU had found him.

"No, Naruto. You're not a monster. You're a hero – you saved my life!" Hinata said fondly.

"No," Naruto said quietly. "I would have died if you hadn't been there tonight." The corner of his lips curled up.

"My hero." Hinata giggled.

"You know you're still invited for dinner." _"She looks so cute when she does that! No, Naruto. You're just going to hurt yourself…"_ he thought bitterly.

"I'd love to." She smiled at him. She seemed to glow in front of him like the angels from Akaken's stories.

"Then I guess you should two should come home," intruded a new voice.

"Tou-san!! What happened to Mizuki?" Naruto asked, sure Mizuki might have wanted to kill him but what Akaken could do… he didn't want to even think about.

"I led the ANBU to where I left him," he answered smoothly. _"Or what was left of him."_ "You know, normally when you invite a friend round for dinner, you should tell me."

Naruto scowled.

"Now, I think the Hokage wants a word."

"Naruto…"

Everyone turned to look at the Hokage. He smiled. "In recognition of your efforts on behalf of Konoha, I have decided to make you a Genin of Konoha as well as pay for a high C-rank. Congratulations."

Naruto just stared at the hitai-ite before breaking out in a grin and hugged the nearest person to him and swinging her round. Unfortunately, that was Hinata.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Um, N-naruto-kun, where is y-your house?" asked Hinata as they passed the outer limit of the village.

"About three miles south-east." He heard a laugh as Akaken saw Hinata's surprise.

"But I guess we can't make our guest run that! See you at home, Sochi." He smirked as he disappeared with Hinata - before he faded completely, he said "I'll make dinner tonight."

"Tou-san!" Naruto screamed furiously.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Akaken laughed as he heard Naruto's yell from the house.

"Shikyotenchi-sama" Hinata began, in what sounded slightly reproachful, if hesitant, tones.

"Don't call me that. Not until you know what it means." All mirth had dropped from his face.

"Hinata, and I mean no offence in dropping the suffix's - they give me a headache remembering them all… as you have probably realised, me and Naruto are … different."

He watched as Hinata nodded. "I brought you here because I know how you feel about Naruto."

"H-how?"

"You're not exactly good at hiding it." He smiled briefly. "I don't mind. You are a ninja now - you could die at any time. You should be happy in what time you have."

Hinata chewed her lip nervously.

"Some of what I am about to tell you, Naruto knows… some he doesn't. The only thing I want him to think is that I told you I am from a different dimension. The Hyuga clan have some documentation of dimensions in their seal library."

Akaken took a deep breath. "For now, all you need to know is the origin of my names and that both mine and Naruto's powers are different. They use pure spirit, bonded with the elemental energy of the gods, either light or dark - the power Naruto and I use is light. Now I will begin with our family name, once you understand what you are saying - you may choose what to call us. Shikyotenchi - Death's Angel. Where I come from, the term Angel is given to either a founder of a new branch of magic or one of the ruling council. I am both. The name Shikyotenchi refers to me being the first master of Death magic, something Naruto does not know, not even my subordinates would dare call me Shikyotenchi-sama, though the term sama where I come from means something a lot more than simple respect - it is an expression of devotion, of worship. Someone who worships the death angel worships Lord Death and while he is a light god, he is not to be worshipped."

Hinata gasped. "T-then I …"

"Yes, don't worry. You were not to know. Your father will likely ask you about tonight; you are welcome to call me Akaken, my title however would be Ekitenchi, no suffix, the rank is equal to your Hokage. The council is made of the Ekitenchi, Keizaitenchi and the Ninnintenchi. Any situation is split into either war, economy or people; the angel in control had the final decision if it fell in his domain, with the other two as advisors." He smiled at her.

"Now, is there anything you want to know?"

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto ran in, panting. "Tou-san … next time … I'm … gonna kill … you!" he said, glaring at Akaken.

"Maybe. But for now, let's eat." He smiled and with a little concentration Naruto's breathing became more even.

Akaken led them into the kitchen. It had changed since Naruto had been in there last. Akaken winked at him. The walls were now a pure white and shone like polished marble, the table was circular and made of a blue marble which shone in different patterns in the light.

Akaken raised his arms and concentrated.

"Hinata, I don't know what kind of food is normal here, but this is one of my favourite delicacies. My wife made it for me once when we were in the desert."

As he had been talking the table had been populated with large silver plates. In the centre was what looked like a large shark, but it was the colour of the night. "It's called a Night Shark."

The shark had a rich taste and was delicately spiced to bring out what tasted like apples, but with a colder feel to it that set teeth on edge, before flaring up to burn Naruto and Hinata's tongues. Their eyes widened in surprise and shock, and they started coughing. Akaken smirked and offered then some chilled champagne.

Hinata blushed furiously, understanding what the champagne was meant for, Naruto was just glad it was cold.

"…it's a touch spicy," Akaken said, straight-faced.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

It had been a few hours since dinner. Hinata was just about to leave - for some reason, Akaken had insisted that Naruto walk Hinata home.

They were just approaching the Hyuga mansion when Hinata stopped him.

"N-naruto-kun," Hinata stuttered. "I-I… wanted to say t-t-that I really enjoyed tonight. C-can w-w-we do it a-again sometime?" She finally managed to get the words out.

"Sure," Naruto said, smiling a rare true Naruto smile.

Akaken was great, but he wanted Naruto to be independent and tried to keep some distance from them. _"If she wants to be with me - maybe, maybe the villagers will leave her alone. The Hyuga have always been ninja, and Hokage-sama said: ninja look out for their own."_

Hinata dimpled at him. He loved that smile. He tilted his head to one side. Hinata looked up into his eyes, silently asking what he was thinking -

**000000000000000000000000000000000**

Hiding in a bush, Akaken rolled his eyes dramatically.

"_Kami__! He is dense… and she is way too shy! Still standing like that…"_

Naruto and Hinata were standing facing each other. Hinata was standing with her lips upturned, looking into Naruto's eyes. Naruto was standing similarly but looking down into Hinata's.

"_One push__, that's all it would take… whoops!"_ He grinned mischievously before vanishing.

**0000000000000000000000000000000**

Hinata's eyes widened at the sudden gust of wind. _"Akaken!" _she thought, before giving in guiltily and letting it push her. Into Naruto's lips.

She felt him tense up. _"H-he… doesn't like me?" _she thought,crushed. She started to pull away when Naruto pressed his own lips against her.

"_S__o be it. She loves me!"_ he thought.

"_Y__es!" _Hinata screamed in her head. _"He loves me, he loves me, he loves me!_" She was in heaven.

"I love you, Naruto-kun," she whispered.

"Me too, my Hime," he whispered back, pulling her into a tight hug.

Then the moment was spoiled when they heard footsteps from the compound.

"I must go now Naru-kun, if Otou-sama found out like this…" Hinata said, torn. She didn't want to go but if her father found out, he would stop them seeing each other ever again.

"Go…go, my Hina-hime. I'll see you tomorrow." Reluctantly, he let her go.

**000000000000000000000000000000000**

**Y****ay, finally done! I'm leaving for Italy Friday so there won't be any updates for a few weeks, anyway - away from the depressing stuff. This was originally going to be for Valentine's Day but I won't be here, so Happy Valentine's Day…**

**Names**

Ekitenchi --- War angel

Kaizaitenchi--- Economy angel

Ninnintenchi--- People's angel

Hime --- Princess

**R&R**


	9. Chapter 8

**Hey I'm back after an obscene amount of emails - 52 in a week, it's crazy.**

**Anyway shout out to Kasuchi, Koichi (): thanks for pointing that out unfortunately it's a bit late to change that now if you point a mistake I made in this chapter though I have no problem changing it.**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking/ or letters_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products or characters I do however own Akaken and my other OC's **

**000000000000000000000000000000**

"Tou-san, Tou-san!" Naruto ran in to the house, screaming.

He cam to an abrupt halt, panting, his chest on fire. His eyes focused. There was a note on the table.

"_Sochi,_

_I regret that I am going to have to leave so soon. I trust you had a pleasant walk."_ At this point, Naruto could practically see his father's smirk.

"_How the_ _hell did he know that?"_ Naruto thought, before continuing with the letter.

"_Because you're very inattentive. Anyway, enough teasing. I have left to do a favour for your Hokage; I should be back in about a week and four days. You are welcome to invite Hinata over but separate bedrooms would be a good idea, at least; until her father knows._

_Akaken"_

As he read the end of the letter Naruto blushed furiously, before thinking back.

"_Wait, how did he know I was going to think that then?"_ he mused, before glancing back at the letter. At the bottom in writing so small he had missed it the first time was:

"_PS I know everything. You should know that by now!"_

Naruto stared at the letter in shock for a moment, before backing off and hiding from the magic letter in the kitchen.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Excuse me, Guard-san?" A young women approached the guards. The mist was so thick that their swirling outlines were all she could see.

"I'm lost, can you let me in?" Now that she was closer to the guard station, she could see that the gates were already open, but the shadow cast by the building behind it made it appear shut in the mist.

"All right. But first you need to sign this." Whereas in other villages a guard may have been distracted by her particularly short skirt and what could only be described as a piece of cloth the Kiri-nin wore infra red goggles, rendering her as little more than a humanoid red shape.

"It simply swears that you accept any and all responsibility for your actions, and that whilst you are in the village you will accept our judgment whether you deem it fair or not. It is your responsibility to understand the laws. Ignorance is not an excuse."

She nodded and signed, slightly dazed by the amount of information they had given her before gliding into the village.

"Poor girl.' The guard sighed.

"What's the bet she'll last ten minutes?" the other guard asked, sniggering, once she was out of hearing range.

The first guard looked at him in mock horror, before giving up and sniggering.

"Sandaime and _that_ skirt. She'll be lucky if she manages a minute."

**0000000000000000000000000000000**

"Hey, Hinata-chan! Come'n sit next to me!" A young boy called, a puppy asleep on his head.

Hinata sighed. Since last night she had gained a good deal of confidence.

"Kiba-san, in case you haven't noticed, my face is not on my chest," she replied icily. She smiled slightly as Kiba quickly looked down in a vain attempt to hide from the pummelling all the girls in the class were about to give him. She sighed and took a seat by the window.

"Mind if I join you?" came a voice from the window.

Hinata gave a small "eep" involuntarily before noticing it was her Naru-kun.

"Of course," her voice dried up, the way it always used to, and she tried again - "Course, Naru-kun."

He smiled and slipped in the window at the same time as Sakura and Ino ran in each yelling at each other and fighting over who got to sit next to Sasuke.

"You know, after five years you would have thought they'd have realised that Sasuke-san has two sides," Naruto whispered to Hinata, making her giggle.

"Naru-kun, I think that we should…" she paused awkwardly, not knowing how to phrase it without hurting him. "Not let anyone else know before we tell our Tou-san?"

Naruto looked down and sighed. He'd been expecting something like this. "Yeah. I guess Tou-san said something similar."

"Oh, what did he say?"

"Umm..." Naruto looked around for some escape to the Question. Fortunately, that escape arrived in the form of Iruka.

"All right, who's not here?' he shouted. There were some faint giggles.

"Now, everyone! Sit down and shut up," he yelled, his head inflated to the size of a hot air balloon."Thank you and congratulations to everyone here. You are now ready to be Genin of Konoha as proven by your hitai-ite. I will now read out the teams; they have been decided by Hokage-sama so if anyone has any complaints they should see him. Team One …"

"I hope we're on the same team, Hime," Naruto whispered in Hinata's ear.

Hinata blushed. "Naruto, not here. Someone will hear."

"Don't worry. The amount of noise Iruka–Sensei makes, I could scream it and nobody would hear!"

"Team Seven Inuzuka Kiba, Uchiha Sasuke and Sakura Haruno. Your Jounin sensei will be Hatake Kakashi."

Naruto snickered.

"What?" Hinata asked.

"I read up on some of the sensei's before I came. Kakashi-san is notorious for being both a pervert and at least three hours late for everything."

"Ah … he'd get on well with Kiba, then." Naruto was about to ask why, when:

"Team Eight Aburame Shino, Shikyotenchi Naruto and Hyuga Hinata. Your Jounin sensei will be Inuzuka Tsume"

"What do you know about her, Naru-kun?" Hinata asked Naruto.

"She's the head of the Inuzuka clan. Other than that, I didn't bother to look her up - this'll be the first time since the Sannin were trained that a Clan head has taken on a squad!" he exclaimed excitedly.

It was only after the last of the teams had been called that anyone noticed Naruto was both in the room and had been mentioned in the listing.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"The stuck-up, perverted, senile, old…"

Those had been the words of the last women to come out of the Mizukage's office, fuming. She had been tall with a slightly gaunt face and high cheek bones. Nothing like the lady before her.

"_Obviously the Mizukage isn't picky."_ she thought.

"Koijini-san, the Mizukage will see you now." The secretary looked over her curvaceous figure with something approaching pity.

She nodded and entered the Mizukage's office.

"Koijini-chan!" came the exclamation of the old man on the other side of the desk, which, unlike the Hokage's was devoid of any paperwork or anything else for that matter. "How can I … help you?" Also unlike the Hokage, his eyes were certainly not on her eyes.

"My wagon was attacked by bandits, and my-my..." She started to cry.

The Mizukage got up and walked over to her. "Shh, shh. It's all right. I'll send some ninja after them, you have my word. They will be dealt with." With a flick of his fingers he dismissed the ANBU; she had no chakra, so he was safe.

"B-but what about payment?" She looked up at him, her eyes shiny from tears. "Please, I don't have much money but I'd do anything. Just get them."

"Anything?" He raised an eyebrow as he began to lift her shirt up, and she let him. "In that case, I think we can come to some arrangement."

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Team Eight, come with me!" The tall woman announced, baring her fangs into a feral smile. Her cheek marks matched those of her son Kiba; however her Partner was large and black - completely unlike Akamaru.

They walked to the swing under a tree out in the front.

"So, tell me about yourselves," Tsume commanded. She had the presence of a person who was the best at what she did and knew it. "I'll go first. My name is Inuzuka Tsume, Clan head of the Inuzuka. My likes are my pups, kuromaru and the puppies. My dislikes are those who dislike dogs, paperwork and traitors. The only dream I have that has not happened yet is to see all my pups become strong members of Konoha. Now you, Aburame."

"My name is Aburame Shino, my likes are bugs, my dislikes are those who harm bugs without justifiable cause. My dream for the future is to breed a better strain of kikai."

"All right. You, Hyuga," Tsume barked. _"Typical. The team looks like a tracking team, except..."_

"My name is Hyuga Hinata. My likes are..." Her eyes flicked to Naruto and back. It would have gone unnoticed, unless you were looking into her eyes - unfortunately that was precisely what Tsume was doing. "My sister, my cousin Neji and training. My dislikes are being weak and those who judge people without knowing them. My dreams for the future are to marry a certain someone and to fix my clan..."

Tsume nodded her approval. _"Interesting. I wonder if this "certain someone" knows yet."_ She wouldn't let her interest show on the outside. Looking bored, she commanded

"You now, Shikyotenchi."

"Oh, olease don't call me that. It's my name only for convenience; call me Naruto. My likes are..." his eyes flickered to Hinata and back, "... training, learning more of my father's home and my friends. My dislikes are those who judge others without first knowing them and those who label others as weak. My dreams for the future are to master my father's style, and to marry a certain someone."

"My name is Kuromaru," came a gruff voice to Tsume's right. "My likes are my Alpha bones and the pups. My dislikes are those who harm the pack. I do not dream."

"Now that we know each other better. come to training ground eight at noon tomorrow. Don't be late or the puppies get a few new bones to play with..." Tsume commanded before leaving Kuromaru at her heels.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000**

The Mizukage had by now completely removed his shirt before a completely naked Koijini. She placed a hand on his chest. "Wait! I just want to say one thing before you do this."

He grunted crossly. "What's that?"

"May Mother Earth grant you a heart of stone." His horrified expression more than made up for her apparent lack of emotion. Before his expression could change, it froze, as large, jagged chunks of rock erupted from his body, tearing him apart in seconds. Blood splattered the floor just before he hit it. Dead.

She quickly dropped to her knees and picked up the Chakra capsules Sarutobi had given her. Clothes reappeared on her body, in the fashion of an Iwa ANBU - this was why the Assassination had taken so long to prepare. She had even matched the Shinobi registration to Iwa's top assassin. Throwing the capsule on the floor, she felt the chakra burst. She didn't have to worry about them checking whose chakra it was - an assassin's chakra signature was one of the most closely guarded secrets of any village. After all, what was the point in masks if your chakra signature was recognised?

"Hey! What's -" the Chuunins eyes widened and he swallowed as he saw the Mizukage dead.

Koijini winked at him, before replacing her mask and leaping out the window.

"**Haha, nice going! You started a war and all it took was stripping for an old coot, why didn't you try that on me?"** Akuba said in her mind.

"_Because you would have had me raped by several hundred dogs. We didn't call them sons of mutts for no reason, you know!"_ Akaken thought back. _"Besides. We were trying to end the war with you, not start it..."_

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**And I think I will end it there for now. Thoughts? That's the closest it's likely to get to a lemon in case you're wondering.**

**Koijini--- dying of love**

**Yeah my little joke anyway R&R**


	10. Chapter 9

**Hey****, sorry it's a bit later than I had planned but it's here and I officially hate mixing times over, it messes with my head. Anyway, also if anyone notices anything wrong with the Japanese, tell me - I'll correct it if I can.**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking/ or letters_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products or characters I do however own Akaken and my other OC's **

**0000000000000000000000000000000000**

"_She is beautiful__..."_ Naruto thought as he crouched in the bushes, taking in the sight of her lean muscle, not an ounce of fat on her. She was so graceful. It made his heart ache to do what he had to.

He drew an arrow; Akaken had taken supplies for a week which made sense since he was imitating kunoichi for at least that long, so he wouldn't be able to simply create food or go without it for too long. He was always very particular about the details of a disguise. The doe in front of him dipped her head. He fired the bow. Whilst he could have managed the kill with a kunai it was easier with an arrow not to damage the meat and he could manage it from further away.

_Snap! _A twig broke behind him, he had another arrow knocked and drawn in less than a second. He pointed it straight at the sound whilst spinning round to face the intruder.

"Eep!" A small voice came from the other end of the arrow. Naruto relaxed.

"Hinata! What are you doing here?" He returned the arrow to the quiver and unstrung the bow. It had been a present from his father, and the string faded into the wood and the bow itself became a quarterstaff. He entered the clearing and gathered some magic in his hand.

"We're a team, right? I thought we should get to know each other better. Or at least, that's what I told Otou-sama." She smiled slightly, putting a slight stress on the 'sama' part.

"_Kami__, I should have told Naruto I loved him sooner. And not just because I could never have disrespected Otou-sama like that before!"_ she thought, looking at the bow and just trying to imagine the kind of strength you would need to string it.

Beneath his palm there was a brief flash of light which encompassed the entire deer before disappearing with it.

"What …?"

Naruto smiled. "Prepared spell. Tou-san set it up so I wouldn't have to drag a kill home.' He walked towards her. "Now then..." he leaned towards her, "Shall we 'get to know each other?'" He grinned softly as she leaned in to kiss him.

**0000000000000000000000000000000**

Team eight met up at the training ground at quarter to twelve. Naruto was smiling as he met up with the others; he had been training long into the night after Hinata left and had finally mastered his Kaze Yaiba to the point where he felt comfortable using it in combat. He had changed his outfit as well; he now wore a pair of loose three-quarter length trousers with a tight mesh shirt and a sky blue jumper with a green swirl on the back. He had removed the arms from his jumper and wore a pair of tighter fitting arm warmers with a toughened leather area on the inside of each wrist. He had also taken to carrying his Staff strapped to his back. Hopefully, it would all make him look rugged, daring and outrageously handsome.

(A/N - anyone who's seen Princess Mononoke think of what Ashitaka wears under his shirt!)

"Hey, Hinata-chan!" Naruto called out.

"Aburame-san!" He smiled as he bounded towards them.

"Naruto-san," Came Shino's curt reply.

"Ohayo, Naruto-kun," Hinata said. Her face had visibly brightened when Naruto came up the Aburame compound. Being near the Hyuga compound, they had decided to walk together. Whilst a nice clan, the Aburame were not the most stimulating conversation holders, Shino was no exception.

"Good, you're all here early," a voice barked from the woods, surprised, the three Genin turned to look. There shadowed in the trees stood Tsume Inuzuka. "Now we can begin your Genin test."

Naruto's eyes widened with surprise. "Test?"

"Yes. Test." Her tone brooked no argument. "And close your mouth. Kuromaru doesn't like fish, but those puppies will try anything if you cut it up small enough." Naruto shut his mouth. The others wisely decided not to question their sensei.

"Now, your first test is to find Kuromaru." The Genin now noticed that her partner was not with her. "Hajime!"

They ran off into the forest, each realising that if they were going to find Kuromaru they would need to work together. That much seemed obvious to them. Naruto had been trained by his father, who being in a war firmly believed a platoon to be more effective than a single man no matter how powerful. Shino's Hive-like mind had drilled teamwork into him from birth, whilst Hinata recalled her father's stories of his team mates.

"Plans?" Naruto asked, dropping into a position between them, his mind switching to what his father had termed conflict mode. There was an objective to be accomplished. It had to be completed. No room for other thoughts which could distract him at a crucial moment.

"Hinata? Your Byakugan will help us locate him," Shino stated.

Hinata nodded. Naruto thought for a moment. "Shino, can you sense your bugs when they are outside your body?"

"Yes, the females."

"Right, Hinata - help guide Shino's bugs to Kuromaru. Try not to alert him to their presence; they'll help us if there's another stage and to track him as he's unlikely to stay still. We should also be prepared for techniques - he can speak, and has a chakra system. As Sensei's partner he may have picked up some tricks for if they're separated…" Naruto spoke with authority, easily falling into the leadership roll, and the others let him.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000**

Half an hour later they had finally found Kuromaru and planted a Kikai on him. But just as they approached, he seemed to sense them and run. This had begun to grate on their nerves.

Naruto growled as he removed the quarterstaff from his back.

"Naruto, you're not going to shoot him are you?" Hinata said, shocked.

"Dogs have good hearing, Hinata-chan," was all he said as he called the string from the wood. "Just tell me when we get close, I won't aim for him but the surprise may make him run where we want. When we reach him - you circle round to his side."

She bit her lip and nodded. They found Kuromaru again in the clearing. Hinata went to the right. Naruto aimed high up, and after about ten seconds he fired the arrow so that it came down centimetres from his snout. He backed off and began to turn away from Hinata in surprise when Naruto fired a second arrow, straight to where he had been turning. He recoiled before running off in the only direction he had left. Straight past Hinata as she dived taking him down. He was caught. There was no escaping this time.

"Well done! I thought you'd never figure out that you actually had to fight to catch him, however, Hinata, if that had been any other dog you would be missing a face right now." She sighed. "But I can't blame you for that. Hiashi-san was never great with animals and probably neglected to teach you their dangers. None the less, you all pass."

She smiled at them and melted from her Iron Lady routine. "Well done, pups."

**0000000000000000000000000000000**

Akaken turned up at the next meeting.

"Yes, Hokage-san. The mission was a success. Your spies should send word of the war within the next week," Akaken told the Hokage.

"And you weren't recognised?" Homura asked.

Akaken raised an eyebrow. "Homura-san, I have not been seen since I came to the village - how could I possibly be recognised? Besides, using this body might have attracted attention at a later date." His voice changed. Along with his body. In his place now stood a small woman. She looked about eighteen, with long legs, and her mini-skirt was set on an angle, one side dropping down below her hip the other drawn up so that it ended only two or three inches below her hip. She was wearing a shirt which seemed to be made of a single strip of cloth, tied so loosely it threatened to fall off with every breath she took.

The council's eyes widened at the sudden change. Even Sarutobi seemed slightly taken aback. "But how did you get past …?"

"The guards?" She had moved before they had even noticed. "Well, they're not great at telling truth from lie, when it comes to _civilians._ Besides, this body is firm enough, isn't it, council member?" she asked from one of the civilian council member's lap with one arm around his neck. He was trying desperately to look anywhere but down and remember that this was actually a guy. No matter what his body was telling him. He blushed and stuttered. She giggled.

"Akaken! Stop incapacitating my council members!" Sarutobi called, amused.

"Does that mean I can incapacitate you, Hokage-san?" she asked, before giggling at his expression. When she had stopped she changed back into Akaken. "The escape was easy. Nobody saw me leave Iwa, they were too interested in a … accidental rockslide on the other side of the village." He grinned, and it was an eerie echo of his female persona. "Then I came straight here. Now, I'm going to take my leave of you..." He looked at each of them. "Ladies, gentleman," he looked at Homura. "Dunce."

The entire council looked at Homura and noticed that he was indeed wearing a large conical hat with 'Dunce' written on it.

"_When did he do that?"_ was the question all of them were thinking.

**0000000000000000000000000000000**

"Naruto!" Akaken called as he got home. _"Huh, that's odd. Normally he would be out to greet me by now,"_ he thought as he walked into the living room.

"_Oh__. That'll be why he didn't say hi."_ On the sofa, Naruto and Hinata were lying next to each other, kissing each other. They were so engrossed in each other they didn't notice him enter. So he sat down on the chair opposite and summoned a book with some of his favourite memories into his hands. And settled down to read.

"Mmh!" Hinata murmured when she noticed they weren't alone anymore. Unfortunately she was too involved in Naruto's mouth to make it intelligible.

"Don't mind me, I just got to my favourite part," Akaken said mildly.

"Tou-san? I thought I heard something come in..." Naruto said, sitting up. "Oh. We were just ... um..." Naruto blushed along with Hinata.

"I don't mind. You're Ninja now. You will be asked to place your lives on the line for your job. You should make the most of what you have whilst you have it." As he said it he looked at the picture on the table. "Now, Naruto we have the small matter of your graduation present!" He smiled and led them outside. "Hinata, what time are you expected home?"

"He thinks that Naruto is taking me out for dinner tonight - back by eleven."

"You told him?"

"Not exactly…"

Akaken sighed "He thinks it's a team thing? You can't hide forever, Hinata."

They reached a clearing where the trees had been cut in a perfect circle, as well as having a lot of slash marks.

"Impressive. Your staff with the Kaze Yaiba?" Akaken asked. Naruto nodded. "Now I want you to practice the Kazeken. This time, use some wind magic in your eyes. Don't ask what it'll feel like - you'll know when you do it right. Hinata, come walk with me for a moment?"

"All right..."

They walked away from the clearing. "Hinata, I wanted to ask. How far do you see you and Naruto going together?"

Taken aback, Hinata stammered, "All the way, he saved my life. I-I couldn't bear to not be a part of his."

Akaken smiled softly. "All right. In that case, I guess I should offer to teach you the Mizuken."

"What?"

"You want to become a part of our family and change yours, correct? Well, I can teach you the magic. You may need to prove to Hiashi that just because a masculine water style doesn't work for you, it doesn't mean that you are weak. You also have a slight earth affinity, so I guess it's me being kinda selfish, but I want to train you. The last person to have the same affinities as you died before he could finish working. He would have been the first wielder of mind magic. Hinata... you have the potential to become more powerful than anyone alive."

**000000000000000000000000000000000**

**Y****ay, I finally finished it. I got stuck about halfway through. But it's done now... next chapter I will probably introduce some of the other characters.**

**Anyway I don't think there were any new words so R&R**


	11. Chapter 10

**Hey l****oyal reviewers and readers, and sorry for the late update. This has got to be the most painful chapter yet and things are getting a bit hectic here... Anyway, pointless excuses over - enjoy.**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking/ or letters_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products or characters I do however own Akaken and my other OC's **

**0000000000000000000000000000000**

"Hiashi-san," Akaken said, stepping out of the shadows in Hiashi's study. "May I have a word?"

Hiashi started, not having noticed him. "Y-yes, I'm free." He cleared some space on his desk and closed some of the files. "Take a seat."

"Thank you." Akaken pulled out a chair from the desk. It would be low to point out that you would have to stand at least a foot above Hiashi just to sit eye to eye with him. The study was decorated so that the only light was behind Hiashi's desk and the wood panelling grew steadily lighter as it came closer to him. Akaken looked around and raised an eyebrow.

"You have realised by now that intimidation doesn't work, right?"

Hiashi looked around the study. It had been used for centuries, but it had been a long time since Hiashi had looked at it from Akaken's side. He smiled.

"Yes, I seem to recall that the last person who tried that was Fugaku-san. I think I am rather too busy to spend a month or two in hospital." Hiashi's brow furrowed. "Come to think of it, there was only a month or two between that and the massacre. You didn't... ?"

"No. And I didn't come here to exchange pleasantries. I came to ask about your daughter."

"Oh, what about her?"

"_Interesting__. Hokage-sama did say that the contract was void without Akaken's approval..."_

"Is there already a betrothal contract for her?"

"There is, technically... she was betrothed to Namikaze Naruto. I say technically because since you adopted him, all contracts are void without your consent. May I ask why you wish to know? Despite being our heiress, she _is_ one of our weaker members."

"She is _not_ weak. Merely different. I'll give my consent to the contract.' He leant back, staring Hiashi down. 'Will you?"

"Yes. On the condition that when she is married, she relinquishes the title heiress."

At that moment a servant entered, carrying a message to Hiashi. Akaken looked at him then specifically at his forehead, his eyes flashing silver before returning to a deep, pensive blue.

"My apologies," Hiashi said after conversing shortly with the servant. "My nephew Neji-kun has taking to training after dark in the hopes of avoiding my notice. I like to keep an eye on his progress."

"Not a problem. However, I must ask about that seal on your servants forehead."

"The caged bird seal? Odd. Not many people notice that. It's a control seal - it stops the branch members attacking us and prevents children with only one Hyuga parent in the branch family."

"It also weakens them considerably, seems to reduce the spirit energy in the chakra weakening it. You realise that since if the betrothal goes through, that is something Hinata will use over chakra - and cannot have that seal."

"Yes. Branch members tend to be weaker than the main branch." He sighed.

"I was afraid you would say that Hinata could not have the seal. The elders have a lot of power in this clan, mostly to stop a full scale rebellion from the branch members. If we had to kill them all we would be severely weakened and that is what would certainly happen. The original creator of the caged bird seal only made it for the reasons I told you, and also branded the main branch with it. But his son did not want the main branch to be weaker than the side branch and changed the seal to be able to cause pain or death, before destroying every copy of the seal's workings."

Akaken started at that, before letting Hiashi continue.

"They are bitter old fools and use the power that was given to them, to give the branch power and appeasement to rule over them. They will force the caged bird seal on her because they were branded with it themselves."

"The seal is very similar to some of the submission seals from my world. In fact I'm starting to think there is a link between the two worlds. Yes, many techniques are similar; anyway, the seal has a water base in the magic - probably because your style seems very like a masculine Mizuken. Water is Hinata's primary affinity - if I teach her to remove the seal as well as leave you a copy of the workings, could you stop them branding her?"

"Yes, I think I could manage that. You say that the Jyuuken is like your Mizuken - could you help Hinata improve?"

"... no. However, I _can_ teach her a style which uses the same principles as the Jyuuken but suits her better."

"Very well. I would like to see this style?"

"I can show you now, if you want."

"That would be good. Allow me a moment to gather the elders?"

"Of course, the main training hall?"

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"All right! Listen up. I've organised a sparing match between our team and Kakashi-san's team. I happen to know that Kakashi preaches about teamwork a lot, so expect the team to work together," Tsume announced.

"So we we'll have to increase our team training. After missions, we'll meet back here to discuss tactics and strengths. Over lunch - then you may return to your respective clans."

"Hai, sensei," Naruto, Hinata and Shino chorused.

She smiled. "Good. Then let's begin; Hinata - you and Kuromaru will continue working on your Byakugan, Naruto you and Shino will be working on fighting two on one."

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Honoured Elders," Akaken began. "Because of what I have heard from my son of your clans, Jyuuken, I have come to test the claims that it is the greatest Taijutsu method. It struck me that the style is very male oriented with very few of the female clan members achieving what you term proficiency with it."

He changed, switching fluidly into the form of a young woman of about eighteen dressed in a close fitting jumper and three-quarter lengths.

"Because of its similarity to the Mizuken, that is what I will fight you with."

"Very well, Hiashi-sama. We give our consent to the fight. If he succeeds in defeating you... we will consider your proposal," the leading council member announced after some moments' deliberation.

"Elder-san. In case it escaped your notice, I'm not a man at the moment..." She smiled sweetly. "Kindly don't address me as one. Hiashi-san, shall we begin?" she asked him with a taunting smirk.

In answer Hiashi slid into the major Jyuuken stance.

"_Why do I get the feeling that this won__'t be as easy as I thought it would be?"_

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Hinata was sitting a long way from Naruto and the others in the wooded part of the forest. The last time she had been training here, she'd managed to activate the Byakugan's first stage without the use of the Ram seal.

"_Amazing__. Is this what Otou-sama sees whenever he activates his Byakugan?_

This time, rather than having to force her chakra through the first stage, she could see the major Tenketsu without it, simply by activating her Byakugan with the Ram seal.

"Concentrate!" a deep voice barked beside her.

"Gomen, Kuromaru-sensei," she whispered, sat down on a branch and prepared the scented kunai Tsume had given her for this exercise. She had been surprised when Tsume suggested this exercise to increase the range of her Byakugan. It was very different to the rooms in the complex where you simply forced more chakra into your eyes until you could see the marks built into the wall.

"_Although__, it would explain why Neji had improved so much when he started training with his team."_

**000000000000000000000000000000000**

Hiashi was just beginning to show signs of tiring. _Just. _Of course, it didn't help that she always seemed just out of range and that her body was so... mobile. He began to growl with frustration.

"What's wrong, Hiashi-san?" she asked. "Oh, you want me to fight back?"

After saying this, she ducked under the next attack and used both hands to attack one striking his neck, the other his solar plexus. Surprised at the change - Hiashi didn't dodge. Crumpling, winded and clutching his throat she grabbed the top of his shirt taking his balance with her hips. She threw him. He flipped and landed on his back, slamming his head on the floor.

Akaken simply walked over, placing a foot on his throat.

"Dead."

She flicked her hair out of the tight bun and sauntered out.

**000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Don't allow them to separate you!" Tsume commanded. Shino attacked again from the side with his bugs. Naruto caught her attention by attacking her with his staff, a strike to her right side followed by an attack to her left side with the other end.

Tsume sighed. "No. Now you have to charge me _again._ Keep one person close. Shino, if you don't _involve_ yourself in Taijutsu, you'll be unable to fight effectively when you must. Here is where you learn."

Shino simply nodded, surprised that she had not mentioned what he had just noticed. If he had positioned his bugs behind her, Naruto could have stayed with her. He resolved to ask her more about Taijutsu after the session was over - whilst his clan had a Taijutsu style, so few now practiced it with so many variations, Shino was unsure what would be most effective.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Tsume-san, may I have a word?"

A voice from the shadows came as soon as Tsume entered her office. It had become dark out and she had spent the past five hours teaching Shino what he would find most effective in Taijutsu, so that he could find someone who practiced a suitable style.

Startled, she reached for a kunai. "Who are you?"

"Well, I guess we haven't really met before. I'm Akaken, Naruto's father."

Now that he had stepped out of the shadows she could see him clearly. He was striking. "I'll talk, however - I have little time, so please be swift. This paperwork doesn't sign itself you know."

"Too well. Actually, what I came to talk to you about may help give you more time to complete the paperwork. Since both Naruto and Hinata have begun to train in the use of my style which is wholly different to the ninja way, I would like to join in some of your training sessions so that I can teach them more of what they need to know. I also have training which may benefit Shino as well."

"_How_ is your style different? I saw some of Naruto's techniques - but they simply look like advanced techniques to me!"

"My style uses purely the spirit component of chakra, which we than refine and filter through our soul to create what we call magic. I'm sure you can see the clash with ninja techniques here."

"Quite _how_ do you propose to do this? There are no real requirements for you to teach them, other than my permission! I even heard a rumour that the Sannin had four teachers; Hokage-sama and then some others who taught them there specialties whilst he caught up with his paperwork."

"_I_ will teach three of the five lessons a week. If we alternate days, then you will both not run out of paperwork and be able to help them incorporate what I have taught them into an effective team."

"Done. Now, if you will excuse me?"

He left. He would begin his training the next morning.

**00000000000000000000000000000000**

"All right kids, you're going to have me every other day as a sensei from now until... whenever I decide to stop. Whilst I'm in charge I am Kami, got it?"

Their new sensei had made quite an impression on entry. Then again, ripping up several trees with a simple Shunshin and stepping out of the whirlwind without a hair out of place was enough to impress anybody.

"Um, Akaken-sensei - what happened to Tsume-sensei?" a slightly timid Hinata asked.

"She is drowning under an evil which cannot be named. If she doesn't survive, well..."

He let the sentence hang, somehow making it seem like a chilling threat and slightly light hearted at the same time.

"Now, Naruto." A sudden wind picked up around him, blowing several leaves towards him. With just a look, he sliced the leaves into a dust almost too fine to see.

"You will be using your Kaze Yaiba to achieve this effect. I will test you at the end of the day. This is to make you concentrate on multiple tasks at the same time and will be useful in the third tier of the Kazeken."

"Hinata, you will be drawing moisture from the air and ground, like we were practicing last night." He created a ball of shimmering water about four metres in diameter. "When you can make a ball this big in under three seconds, hold it above the trees and I will give you your next task."

"Shino, you will be with me. We'll be practicing the way of my ninja. Before you ask! They are _very_ different. My ninja are assassins and messengers trained purely for stealth - from the moment their training ends to the moment of their death they are _never_ seen by any except their teammates and their superiors. This will suit your use of bugs and poor Taijutsu skills." He turned to look at Hinata and Naruto. "Well? Don't you have training to do?"

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**And done. This has got to be the hardest chapter I have written yet; it was almost excruciating and almost entirely to set up the next few chapters. Anyway, I don't think any new words were used this chapter so**

**R&R**


	12. Chapter 11

**Hey guy****s, I'm back. Sorry for the long wait - things are kinda hectic here, but anyway, this is the eleventh chapter for Shikyotenchi. Enjoy. Yeah, I'm going to stop making excuses now...**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_Italics – people talking inside others' heads or thinking or letters_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products or characters I do however own Akaken and my other OC's **

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"All right, listen up, teams!" Tsume called to Team 8 and Team 7. They were standing in the clearing of Training Ground 7. Akaken had suggested that they hold the competition as a recon team should be able to act in all terrain.

"Sorry I'm late, guys. My house caught fire and I had to run to the library to find the right technique," Kakashi said, appearing in a whirlwind of leaves.

"_Liar!_" Sakura and Kiba both yelled. Sasuke almost joined in, but thought better of it at the last minute.

"Actually, he's telling the truth," the voice of Akaken interrupted. "I warned him yesterday not to turn up late... so I set his house on fire when he was late to the meeting. Why do you think he's on time now?"

"Anyway, as I was saying, this will be a sparring match between the two teams. There will be no killing or crippling. Myself and Kakashi-san will be overseeing this. Otherwise there are no rules - except you may not leave the training ground - and those already stated. Begin."

Both teams immediately jumped into the forest.

Sasuke had immediately jumped straight into the bush hoping to set a trap in it if anyone tried to follow him. He noticed Sakura hiding above him and smirked. If they came this way they would be impaled. _Ouch. _

He glanced around him. Nope, nothing down here. He looked up. Was that Sakura setting up an aerial trap, or just the mottled leaves of the canopy?

Kiba had dived away from Sasuke and Sakura, carrying him closer to the river.

"_I'll show her Sasuke isn't everything__."_

"Akamaru! Let's go!" he yelled, sniffing at the air. He smiled.

Now he had their scent - they could not escape him.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

It had been nearly half an hour since Team 7 had split up. Sasuke had finally decided that as Team 8 would not come to them, he would have to prove that the Uchiha could not be beaten in combat. He would find them and for that he needed Kiba's nose.

"_If I let Kiba know I need his help he__'ll be insufferable! I'll just have to follow him."_

After Sasuke had left to find Kiba with Sakura tailing him, Shino dropped from the canopy. His attire had changed since Akaken had begun to train him. He still wore a long trench coat but instead of a uniform cream it was a mottled green, perfect for hiding in Konoha's trees, and could be done up to his eyes so that when fully done up none of his face could be seen. He had fashioned small holes in it to allow his Kikai easy exits, and he also wore matching full length trousers. He allowed himself a smile at his accomplishment. The Uchiha had looked straight at him and not noticed anything strange.

"_Akaken was right__. Mottled must break up the human figure - both the Uchiha and Hyuga have exceptional eyesight, even without their Doujutsu."_

With this, he left towards the two female Kikai he had placed on his team-mates.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Shino! Take your time," Naruto said sarcastically as Shino appeared at the edge of the clearing. He had grown used to Shino's sudden appearances. Sometimes he could notice him in clearings, but never yet in a forest.

"I was delayed. The Uchiha-san and Haruno-san chose to hide beneath me."

"They didn't notice you?" a new voice asked, concerned.

Shino raised an eyebrow. The zip on his trench coat had been undone to show the top portion of his face - Hinata and Naruto had come to recognise this as a sign of trust as since the lenses in the coat were mirrored, he could not wear his sunglasses.

"Right, silly question. Forget I asked."

"Uchiha-san plans to follow Inuzuka-san to our location. We cannot stay here too long." Shino's eyes had changed, showing his slight anxiety. Similar to Akaken's, his eyes changed between normal hazel eyes when he was in control of his emotions to a pure black when he was speaking to the queen or feeling strongly.

"I've got it handled, he's permanently on the upwind, Tou-san's just started on hexes so that's the best I can do. Now what do we know about the team?"

"Haruno-san seems fixated on Uchiha-san still. I doubt she will be a threat – however, Inuzuka-san and Uchiha-san are both heavy hitters. The team seems to be a combat-oriented group. In an open battle, the Sharingan will cause openings even against high level opponents. Inuzuka tend to fight well as a team - Inuzuka-san will be able to make full use of it," Shino stated.

"Tsume-sensei often mentions that most Ninja rely too much on one sense. I think we can assume that Kiba will use more than one - probably his sense of smell. That'd make a mist technique pointless," Hinata put in.

Naruto thought for a minute. "We need to keep them separated. Can we get them separated in the first place?" he mused.

"Right, here's the plan. I'll separate Sasuke-san and Kiba-san, Hinata - you trap them in that mist technique, Shino - bug them then knock 'em out. I'll take Kiba on a wild goose chase till Hinata or you give the signal."

"I checked out the stream earlier,' Shino told him. "There's a bend in it about ten metres that way - it would make a good ambush point against Kiba-san. I can use the clearing here against Sasuke-san."

"Let's do that, then. Set the ambush here." Naruto went to leave and then turned.

"Oh yeah, I picked these up earlier." In his hands were four test tubes, two of which had been filled with water. "Hinata, focus your magic into two strands of hair and put them into the ones filled with water."

Hinata did so whilst Naruto did the same with the two empty tubes.

"When you activate your Byakugan, you should be able to see these tubes now whether they are in you range or not. Heat the water in the tubes as your signal." Naruto then loosely fitted a bung into the two empty tubes.

"I'll make these two whistle. Shino, your signal is your Kikai flying a figure of eight, okay?"

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Wow, Naruto is quite the strategist," Kakashi remarked.

"_With a plan like that… I think my team __are going to lose if we don't start planning ourselves."_

"Yes. He's a natural leader,' Tsume replied. "The whole team have fitted themselves into stations around him. Hinata lacks the confidence even now to be a leader but makes good observations and her general knowledge is very good, Shino is very logical but whilst it helps keep him detached and able to make rational judgements, he lacks the more personal feel,' she reflected. "Although I didn't know he was this good a strategist. Akaken?"

"You got me. Ever since I started training him he hasn't stopped talking about being Hokage. Who am I to stop him? A Hokage is a leader. If he intends to become Hokage, he's got to be able to lead and plan." Akaken smiled.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"_So the__ great Uchiha comes for my help,"_ Kiba smirked. Whilst Sasuke hadn't actually said anything, the fact that he was trailing him was enough.

Suddenly, a huge gale blew up and for a moment, Kiba caught Naruto's scent.

He turned towards the direction it was coming from and began to run.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"_Grr__, stupid wind."_

Now that he had lost sight of Kiba, Sasuke was running in the last direction he saw him travelling in.

"Sasuke-kun! There," Sakura yelled, pointing off to his right.

He stared at where she had pointed. Sure enough Kiba, was standing there smirking at him.

"_Well__, I guess she is useful after all."_ Sasuke nodded his thanks as Kiba began to run off.

"_I can'__t let her know how thankful I am even if she is annoying, she's always there. Dependable. If I stop acting like this will I lose her? Dare I risk it? Why am I thinking this now? Concentrate on the spar." _

Despite his thoughts hecouldn't help but glance at the source of his troubles. She caught his glance and simply smiled at him.

And he was too distracted to notice the patch of grass that kicked him into the clearing they had been running alongside.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Oh, where are you hiding?" Kiba yelled in frustration. He had followed the scent around this part of the forest for miles and seen nothing of Team 8. Akamaru barked his frustration by his side. He had lost Sasuke and Sakura a while back. For all he knew they had been knocked out by now.

"_No__ - Sasuke wouldn't be taken down that easily. Besides, we have more people than them." _

He glanced at Akamaru.

"Let's take a break. We won't be any use if we're tired out from running."

Akamaru yipped his agreement.

"_Wait a minute__!_" Kiba looked up - he had thought about this for a while now. The scent always stopped when he did; it seemed to stay the same relative distance from him. He moved forwards about a metre or so before stopping and again, the scent kept moving.

Kiba sighed. So much for a rest. He called for Akamaru and kept running.

Must have just been coincidence.

Under the cover of his Henge, Naruto smirked at Kiba's back.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Sasuke groaned as he lifted himself from the ground. His eyes snapped open as he narrowly dodged another punch from Shino - forcing him further into the clearing.

Suddenly Shino ducked to one side. Sasuke lunged in the other direction. A pair of kunai whizzed past where he and Shino had just been standing. He tried to make a break for the trees, but was met with a swift two fingered jab from Hinata.

Dodging on pure instinct he backed further into the clearing. Jumping the sweep kick he attempted to hit her with an axe kick, only for her to roll away from it and spring up with a palm strike to his solar plexus.

Winded, he dropped to the floor. Expecting a blow, he closed his eyes. There was nothing else he could do.

The blow never came. Sasuke opened his eyes. His breath was rasping back - but the strike seemed to have done something to his nerves.

"_Must be __the Jyuuken." _

He glanced up and gasped at what he saw.

Sakura was fighting Hinata, and making her retreat. They moved further into the mist and Sasuke lost sight of them.

"_Wait a second. Mist?"_ Sasuke's eyes widened. _"A trap!"_ He was about to call out to Sakura to warn her when he felt a cold hand on his neck and Kikai bugs crawl down his spine. A second hand held a Kunai to his throat.

"You are dead, Uchiha-san."

Sasuke's world went black.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto looked out to where Kiba was standing at the moment. When he felt his chest pocket become noticeably warmer he checked Shino's bug. Sure enough, it was walking a figure of eight on his sleeve. He smiled. It was unlikely that both Hinata and Shino needed back-up at the same time, so Sakura and Sasuke must have been incapacitated.

The scent illusion dropped and Naruto dropped the Henge, allowing Kiba to smell him.

He had been chasing Naruto for nearly ten minutes having only just realised that he had been chasing a decoy.

Kiba was _furious,_ and chased Naruto - paying no heed to where he was going.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Immediately after entering the clearing by the river, Naruto leapt as high as he could into the air. He made a strong updraft beneath him, pushing him up near the top of the trees he had just left.

In retrospect, he realised that he probably didn't need to jump that high but then again - nearly ten gallons of water charging at you would scare anyone.

"_Ouch. Poor Kiba__."_

His eyes widened as he saw the boy began to rise. He quickly glanced around for Akamaru but Shino was already besides him, covered in Kikai. So soon after the Water attack was too much for the dog without a soldier pill.

Akamaru passed out from chakra exhaustion in a matter of seconds.

"Akamaru!" Kiba yelled, seeing his partner incapacitated.

"Oh, now I'm gonna make you _pa -_ "

His sentence was cut off by a fast palm strike to his chin.

A gale quickly picked up, sending him flying back and skidding to a stop under a tree.

_Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!_

The three kunai thrown from above him hit their targets. One by each ear, one over the top of his head.

"Dead," Hinata declared, dropping from the tree.

The sound of clapping could be heard to their right.

"Well done, that was quite a show you put on there," a surprised Kakashi said - impressed that mere Genins could plan something like this. It was on a par with some of the low Chuunin teams and their techniques.

Naruto smiled at the praise before collapsing, panting, on the floor. Hinata looked over to him, worried.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine. He just needs some rest," Akaken told her. "And probably some endurance exercises."

"Come on. Let's wake up Team 7 and we can go out to discuss what happened, Kakashi-san's paying... right?" Tsume rounded on him.

"Uh, yeah... right." Kakashi gave in, scratching the back of his neck.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**And one that was fun, if difficult to write. And I'm still not sure if the fight scene came out the way I wanted it to.**

**Translations **

Doujutsu ---- Eye technique

Sharingan --- Copy wheel eye

Henge --- Transformation

**R&R**


	13. Chapter 12

**Hey****, sorry I haven't updated in ages. I've made this chapter longer than normal. Again sorry I've mentioned my Poll at the bottom so please check it out.**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products or characters I do however own Akaken and my other OC's **

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"_A__h, the demon's team."_

Danzou put a fake smile on his face.

"Team 8, there's no easy way to tell you this – "

He saw them tense.

" - I am afraid that Hokage-sama has been taken ill. He is at the hospital; recovering from a cancer. I, Homura and Koharu have taken over handing out missions. Now. Your sensei has requested a C rank mission for you... "

Looking through the mission briefs on the desk, he realised that it was smaller than the Hokage's - but he could not presume too much power. _Ah._ Here was the perfect mission. He handed the file to Tsume as Akaken had decided that he was disliked among the council, and decided not to accompany the team to the briefing.

Might have something to do the fact that one of the councilmen lived next door to Kakashi.

"It's a simple retrieval mission, but it's for the daimyo so it should pay slightly better than most."

"_And the daimyo hasn't realised that those 'Bandits' are probably ninja. If they succeed, they will be allowed to keep the Kouyou no Subeta. With the proper leaks the world will know that three new genin took out a group of at least chuunin level enemies. Konoha will be feared again."_

"Arigato gozaimasu, Danzou-san."

With that, Team 8 left the briefing room.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"So, what did we get this time?" Akaken's voice came from behind Tsume.

Suppressing her instinct to run him through with a kunai, she growled; "A retrieval mission, C-ranked."

"So there is a possibility of bandits attacking?"

"Yes."

"In that case, I'll come to talk to you later tonight."

Akaken faded out of sight.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"What did you want to talk about?" Tsume asked wearily to the empty room.

There was silence for a moment, then a series of slow claps from the corner of the room.

"Well done. You're getting better at this," Akaken said mockingly.

"You know - up till then I was going to thank you for sorting out the paperwork."

Akaken chuckled at her. "You haven't seen the amount of paperwork a _war_ causes." He shuddered. "It's the main reason the previous occupant of the position Ekitenchi moved the office to the most frequently invaded area. Were's have an amazing fondness for shredding paper."

Tsume raised an eyebrow, not particularly surprised. "Was that the _only_ reason? Surely that would make more paperwork."

"No... he was a deep-cover agent, and managed to decimate three quarters of the country's forces before he was found out. It took me, my unit and a Shadowslayer to finally kill him dead."

"Shadowslayer?"

"A mid-level assassin. My only opponent for the rank Ekitenchi," Akaken clarified. "Anyway. We've strayed a bit from what I wanted to talk to you about."

"And that was?"

"This mission. Whilst we've told them about killing and that it's necessary, they've never really seen it. You know Danzou doesn't care who dies so long as he gets what he wants."

"Ye-es. I see where this is going," she told him, "But how are you going to manage to stop that happening? Eventually every Ninja must harden their heart to killing - but not so much that they lose themselves. It is not something that can be taught."

"No! By _not _teaching them that. Life is precious." He stood up and frowned. "I will show them why. All I ask is that however harsh it may seem - don't interfere. Not even a word in the wrong ear. I trust you enough not to force you to do this - I'd hate to see that trust misplaced."

He faded away without waiting for her reply.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"This looks like a good place to camp," Tsume called as they stopped. They had been travelling for nearly four days and seen nothing of their target. A single bandit that had a habit of travelling alone who was supposed to know who had the Kouyou no Subeta.

Suddenly, the whole team minus Akaken felt a pressure against their necks.

Akaken's warning. They had company.

The woman remembered her promise. If it was a threat, Akaken could deal with it.

In a second, more than fifty bandits had leaped out from the bushes breaking the genjutsu that had been hiding them and about another fifty arrows had been fired from the bushes.

Time seemed to freeze.

She couldn't move.

"_Is this... the end? By _bandits_..."_

"What the - " one of the bandits shouted. He stilled.

This was Akaken's doing.

"Choose one of them. It doesn't matter which," he ordered.

"Look into their eyes, look into their very souls."

His eyes flashed. Curious as to why he was doing this, even, Tsume went along with it. Staring deep into the eyes of the man opposite her.

She gasped. This was not something she had ever experienced.

"It's like I can see... " Hinata murmured, before stopping and glancing briefly at Naruto.

"It can't be described. I have brought their souls to the surface, but you are close. Love brings your soul closer to the surface. Now keep your eyes on his soul! Look at his life. Don't look away until I say you can."

Obediently, Hinata returned her eyes to the man's soul.

"His wife, children... his parents? They want him back." Naruto saw.

"Good! Look closer. You can see his dreams, his reasons... "

"Something's missing," Hinata whispered.

Akaken tried not to show his shock.

"_She can see his soul that easily. Ah. The Byakugan! That must be helping her."_

He grimaced, but this was necessary and now they could all see the light in their souls.

"_And only that, I have hidden the darkness from them__."_

As they began to see more and more, he felt one of Hinata's probes getting close to the darkness.

Pillars of diamond erupted from the ground, killing every bandit in sprays of blood and skin.

Hinata screamed, horrified as she was cast out of the man's soul.

Akaken caught the fragment and guided it back to her. He hadn't expected anyone to probe far enough that it could have been a danger.

Although they had all seen more than he had expected, even Shino grunted in surprise.

"How dare you?" Naruto yelled at him. "How dare you kill them!" He was shaking with the shock.

Akaken gazed steadily at him.

"You see."

It was not a question. Naruto threw a punch at him. He allowed it to connect.

"Life is precious. I want you to remember this when you take a life. You look into their eyes and ask yourself, _can I really kill this man?"_ Naruto looked at him.

"Even so, his _daughter_. She was three."

"That was a very harsh lesson, Akaken," Tsume said quietly.

"Was it? Was it really? Maybe. But this is how I learned it. The only question is; can you continue being a Ninja - knowing this?"

Akaken stared at them.

Hinata had more or less recovered, although she was trying not to look at the bandits' remains staining the ground.

"Yes, if only so no one else must. Someone who doesn't care."

"It is only logical we do this," he said. "If someone does not respect life, they are worse than Orochimaru."

Everyone turned to look at Naruto.

Akaken smiled broadly.

"Then I will show you what I have been hiding from you."

They all looked up sharply, heads jerking in unison. "So there was... "

"Something missing? Yes. I hid the darkness - everything that he had done that was not good."

He opened his hand and they saw everything.

Wife of a forced marriage.

A woman married for money.

The three year old daughter of rape.

"Never forget the first thing you felt. I feel every soul that departs from this world. If you become someone who takes lives recklessly..."

"Then I would rather you killed me," Naruto said.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Team 8 blew a sigh of relief when the man left.

They had found the information about the Kouyou no Subeta.

It was hidden in a cave not far from here.

The supposed bandit had been a Ninja once; but only a genin. His village had been destroyed in the third great ninja war and he had hidden, 'protecting' the civilians. As a matter of fact he had only been there because he was the son of the village leader, and left soon after since then he had made a name for himself among bandits.

The Kiri. For his skill at taking out enemies without injury.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

After a few hours they arrived at the cave that was supposed to contain the Kouyou no Subeta.

It felt _odd._ The place had a powerful mood, but also something that seemed inexplicably good and helpful - despite its huge amount of power.

As they entered the cave, they saw signs of a fight and on the altar in the middle a long double bladed sword with a Katana like hilt rested. But that hilt was unlike anything they had seen. It was pure white, and seemed to pulse.

Akaken looked closely at it.

"_It looks like a life stone... __a genjutsu. This one is a fake. Very well. Let's let them take us prisoner and take us to the sword."_

At that moment they were surrounded by six Ninja, two of them wearing jounin flak jackets.

Kunai pointed at their throats.

The wind whistled by outside, almost seeming to say _trust,_ whilst team 8 felt a slight pressure on their wrists. Just as the Jounin tensed to strike, one of the others spoke up.

"Hey, don't kill them. They came after the sword - maybe they know something about it," one of the Ninja said, staring lecherously at Hinata.

The jounin relented.

"Fine. But don't think that this is because you want a new plaything."

Hinata's eyes flashed at that. She glanced up, about to speak, when she saw their headbands. Kumo. She looked down quickly, hoping they had not seen her eyes.

"Hey, you!" the Ninja who had saved them called, staring at Hinata. "Show me your eyes," he ordered, looking at her face for the first time.

"_Oh __no! If they see the Byakugan..."_ Hinata thought, keeping her face down. The Ninja stepped forwards and placed his Kunai at her throat. With a sickening rip he made a small cut in the top of her shirt.

"Show me or else," he hissed, as his companions dropped back so that they could see the show and keep an eye on the prisoners at the same time.

Hinata felt a slight breeze up the inside of her sleeve. She looked towards it. The Ninja, taking it as refusal, began to make the cut longer downwards, whilst slicing her skin just enough to draw blood.

Naruto tensed to scream at him but one of the jounin was already there with his kunai to his throat.

"Blood. It's so pretty, isn't it? It sparkles and shines better than a ruby, and the quality never changes." He smiled, but at the knife instead of the boy and began to cut down more.

"Stop!" Hinata yelled, gazing up at him.

He was shocked, she could see.

"But your eyes were... "

Then it dawned on her. Akaken had read her mind when she had thought about the Byakugan and covered for her.

"Come on then. Let's take them back to the base," the other jounin said, taking command; placing a restraining seal on them.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Hey, Jaken! Look what a pretty bird I found!" the perverted teen called out, smirking.

The Chuunin known as Jaken turned round to look at Hinata. A grin spread across his face.

"Fight you for first?"

He laughed. "Oh no you don't. I caught her. She's mine."

"Well," He shrugged. "Throw them in the cells for now. Those bandits made one big enough for all of them; that way we don't need to use any more restraining seals."

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

The cell was dark.

The only light came from a single torch left on the wall. Feeling relatively safe, the Chuunin called to the girl hiding in the corner.

"If they get out of there, yell, and don't think of helping them escape. There are more of us than them." With that parting shot, he sealed the door.

"Finally," Akaken grimaced. A ball of fire appeared in his hand before spreading about the room's ceiling, improving the illumination.

They girl almost cried out in shock. She shrank back in on herself.

"How did you - ?"

Akaken looked over at her.

"Magic," he said with a slight smile. "So why are you down here rather than up there with them?"

"Yeah, why?"

The others looked at Naruto. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Why not? We're going to be stuck here for a while anyway."

Akaken was frowning and the girl just looked puzzled.

"What? The sword in the altar was a fake. Since they were there, they probably took it."

"Yes. We did."

"_W__e?" _Akaken thought.

"When we were still a team. Then they thought that if they could control the sword, they could take the Raikage's place. I disagreed and thought we should return – but... "

She nearly broke down in tears.

Tsume's gaze softened.

"Come here pup, it'll be fine," she murmured, trying to comfort the poor girl.

"T-t-they came and they put me down here and they tried to f-force me to... "

"Shush. Don't think about that now," Tsume whispered, still holding her.

Behind her, Akaken was seething.

"How dare they? To their own _comrade_." Looking at her, it felt as if he was looking to her very soul.

"It was my fault. If I had just... "

"No. It is their fault and believe me, they will pay for their crimes."

"How?" she said bitterly, "With you locked in here and outnumbered?"

"We are not powerless as you have seen. Besides! It's a matter of quality, not quantity, and here stand two clan heirs. My son, and me. And I have never lost a battle."

She glanced at the sealed door.

"They're coming! If you act, it must be now."

"No. Don't worry."

"But if they see me here they'll..."

"Come in here."

"What?"

"Come in. Don't be afraid; just hold on to Tsume."

She did, and Akaken placed his hand on Tsume's neck.

"Now step forwards."

She did - with some misgivings. Her form flowed and slipped through the bars and then she looked up in shock.

"Now, let's sort out some clothes," he said slowly, appraising her. She was not tall; only slightly shorter than Naruto, with a muscular frame. But her body had been abused badly. She had grazes and black, terrifying bruises everywhere, and in some areas particularly.

Suddenly embarrassed, she covered herself. To everyone's surprise, Shino removed his coat and draped it over her shoulders. She stood up and put it on whilst Akaken created a pair of glasses in his right hand so he could cover his eyes.

"Thank you," she said softly to him. He nodded his head. She looked away, slightly upset.

"Don't be put out. That's just the way he is," Hinata told her quietly. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Aikou Bara." She smiled a little. "My parents were such romantics."

Just then, there was a sound like a seal being removed.

"They're here!" she cried.

Akaken backed them into a wall before waving his hand. Abruptly, the light he had created vanished and replicas of them as they had been before - but Aikou still outside the cell – shimmered into view.

Aikou ran and hid in her corner again so that when they were fully in the room she was hidden by the shadows as well as her hands.

A kunai flew from the perverted teen, cutting across her collarbone. Blood smeared immediately, but Aikou whispered in Akaken's ear; "I heal fast. A wound like that's going to heal in about ten seconds."

She was glad she had told him that as the wound healed. Akaken said, realising that she was scared of breaking the illusion by speaking:

"You don't have to whisper, Aikou. They can't hear us at all."

The teen crossed to her hiding place as the others came in and lifted his hand to force her arms away, so he could admire the blood drying on her skin.

"Akakoi-san! We don't have time to play," one of the jounin said cuttingly, entering the room. He was tall and was carrying a double edged blade with a hilt that pulsed and was opal white.

He threw it on the ground before them.

"_So it is a Life stone, but not complete. Yet.__.."_

Aikou swore softly.

Akaken looked at her. "He was the first. He was always staring, even in the training sessions. I hope he feels scared when he dies. I want to see him _lose _it before he dies."

"Really?" Akaken said deliberately, casting a sideways look at her.

"Really," she said, her voice full of loathing.

"All right, then. Naruto, Hinata - I believe you wanted to know what the nastiest were I had ever fought was?"

They nodded.

"Then watch."

He spread his fingers and the image of Akaken collapsed, clutching his stomach. The sound of ripping could be heard as he looked to be asphyxiating.

"Run..." he managed to gasp out as the skin on his back ripped open and a coal black fur appeared. Looking closer they were spikes sharp as needles forming an armour plating. Some of the spikes down his back grew into a tail; the edges hooked into a nasty barb and even sharper than the kunai.

He flipped over and writhed on his back whilst everyone looked on in horror.

His chest split open and spewed fire before dying back to reveal bone like armour plates, covering a heart that looked like embers - only darker. Evil.

Finally his skull, which had managed to stay intact this far, split down the centre and exploded.

The shards cutting illusion Naruto's cheek to reveal a wolf's head.

The were grinned.

"**Free at last, and with so much… fresh meat."**

The Illusion on illusion Hinata's eyes finally failed and Akakoi shouted,

"I _knew_ it! She is a Hyuga!"

The were leapt for them before ripping out Naruto's throat and drinking his blood with a terrible slurping sound.

Illusion Hinata screamed. The real Hinata looked ill.

The were turned its head to her.

A kunai came flying at him.

"Save the Hyuga! We need her!" the jounin yelled, opening the cage.

The were leapt out and past him. Fortunately, they had locked the door. Or unfortunately if you happened to be alive as he ripped the throats out of everyone except the jounin.

As the were turned to look at the jounin he smiled.

"So, the wench did release you enough for a genjutsu!"

He smirked and raised his hands to make the release hand sign.

"Kai!" he cried gleefully.

Nothing happened.

The were advanced on him, grinning a sadistic grin.

The Jounin's mask began to break with every step and he panicked, still trying the release.

He screamed as the were casually tore off his arms and ate then before biting out his throat.

It was horribly silent when the scream abruptly cut off.

Akaken waved his hand and everything vanished so they were left alone. All the corpses simply faded into the stone.

"What was that thing?" Aikou asked.

"A dark revenant. King of were's." Akaken replied.

"So what will you do now?" Hinata asked Aikou, slightly queasy.

"Can I stay with you guys?" she replied timidly.

"What about your parents?" Tsume asked.

She swallowed. "They're dead. They - " she indicated where the Jounin had been standing. "- they tried to hold me to ransom to get a powerful artefact. The Raikage sent my parents' heads back."

Akaken spoke gently. "You may. But I think it'll have to be with me and although I like strict guidelines... " He grinned. "You'll be fine. Hinata normally spends most of the day at mine, and Naruto is my son."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" She beamed and leapt at Akaken, gripping him in a hug. Akaken staggered a little at the unexpected leap before smiling and hugging her back.

"Now, let's sort that sword out," Akaken decided.

"But it's been - "

"Killing people? Whenever you tried to use chakra with it, right?"

She nodded.

"That's because that Life stone is incomplete. Something I can readily fix."

With a flash of white light something travelled from Akaken's hand to the stone. The stone immediately stopped pulsing and became clear, hardening to a diamond. Akaken stepped forwards before looking at Tsume.

"It's ours," she said simply, "as recompense for the mission advancing to S-rank."

Akaken grinned and picked up the stone.

"You have paid the most for this," he said to Aikou. "It is only right that you should have it."

As he said this, he pressed the Life stone into the back of her hand. She cried out a little in shock. "There, this is about the most complete protection you're going to get. You have five elemental shields which will take a week each to recharge after use and one Angels' Intervention which has been known to revive those an hour dead. That will take three months to recharge. You can also use them on someone else - just focus on the jewel, the ability and the person."

Her eyes widened. She couldn't remember the last time someone gave her something so valuable.

Next Akaken picked up the sword. After giving it a few swings he made it vanish. "That will be for you when we get back. Hinata, it's about time you got your first weapon, you too Naruto; although you won't get this particular one. I think we have a new home to introduce someone to. And I really don't want to trek all the way back... " He brightened with an idea.

He leapt up and punched a huge hole in the ceiling, creating large oval shapes of earth below everyone.

"Hold on," he suggested as small bars appeared on the side.

A large gust of wind blew everyone up through the hole. He smiled, before spreading the wings which he called into being on his back and flew up to join them.

"This is _awesome!"_ Aikou cried out over the wind.

Akaken laughed. "I know!" he yelled back.

Then he saw Naruto analysing what he was doing.

"So, all you're really doing is creating an updraft under your wings to give you more propulsion, like when I do that jumping trick," he said. Akaken looked at him in surprise.

"_If he can f__igure that out then he is ready."_

Akaken's thought stung slightly with regret.

The earth beneath Naruto suddenly vanished and he fell. Tears torn from his eyes by the harsh wind as it ripped past – he told himself – it wasn't that as he looked up he couldn't hear Hinata screaming his name.

"_Why?"_

The ground rushed to meet him.

"Hello, my son."

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**And cut. Okay, ****I'm pretty sure you're all going to hate me for a bit, but oh well...**

**Also****, I'm putting up a poll as to whether I should change the rating of the story. There still won't be lemons but I'm starting to think something's missing...? **

**Here are the translations.**

Arigatou gozaimasu ---Thank you (formal)

Kouyou no Subeta --- Sword of the elements (I hope)

Kiri --- Mist

Kumo --- Cloud

Aikou Bara --- Love's Rose

Akakoi --- a combination of Aka red and sometimes blood and Koi a expensive type of pet fish.

Kai --- Release

**Please R&R**


	14. Chapter 13

**Hey****, I'm back, so here is the next chapter. Just a reminder - the poll is still on. You could put your views in a review, or visit my profile, and review anyway :)**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking **_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products or characters I do however own Akaken and my other OC's **

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_The ground rushed to meet him._

"_Hello, my son."_

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"_What the …"_

The world seemed frozen. He thought wildly that there were metres left... until he hit the canopy of the trees.

"Son, it is time for you to be tested."

Naruto looked towards the voice. There, hovering beside him was a man. He had long silver hair which floated in the non-existent breeze, his eyes sky blue with a caricaturised wind pattern encircling the pupil and dividing the eye in two. He wore tight fitting blue shorts with a mesh shirt and long cloak decorated with patterns relating to wind.

The most striking feature, however, were the six pure white wings that were keeping him aloft.

"T-test?" Naruto stuttered, stunned.

"For my gift," the man said, as if this explained everything. When Naruto looked at him, perplexed, he sighed. "You don't even know who I am, do you?"

"No." Naruto, having finally got over the fact that he hadn't become a smudge on the ground, was wondering if this was Akaken's Shikyotenchi form as he called it. It would fit that he kept calling him 'son'.

"Before you say it – no, I am not Akaken."

Naruto watched him silently.

"I am called by several names. The one your adoptive father uses is Father Sky, a title I have recently become fond of." He paused to allow this to sink in.

"You mean - you are the Light God of... " Naruto began, awestruck.

"Yes, of Wind. Now. I have things to do; and am not quite as good as my Brother at time manipulation. Your test will consist of two parts. This is the first."

With that, Naruto began to fall again.

This time, however, he landed gently on a large rock pillar. Ahead of him were another three and beyond that a plateau. Something gold was shimmering on it.

As he gazed harder, the pillar he was standing on began to shake, tipping him dangerously.

With a cry of shock he leapt towards the next pillar.

About halfway through the jump, he began to lose height. Abruptly, he realised that he wasn't going to make it.

But he was Naruto! The boy created an updraft beneath him. He caught the edge of the pillar and heaved himself up, before looking up to the next column.

It was now much higher than the one he was standing on. He prepared himself to jump just as the pillar began to shake.

He made the height easily before realising he had over-shot.

Seconds before that pillar began to shake, without thinking about it he propelled himself, through magic, towards the last column. Compared to the other two, this one was going to be easy.

He just had to land it right.

The pillar moved sideways.

"Now _that,' _Naruto yelled in annoyance, "_That _is cheating!"

Seemingly irritated by the accusation, the pillar moved further to the right.

Naruto growled.

Forcing himself to calm down and think, an idea formed in his mind.

Instead of applying an even amount of updraft to help slow his descent, he used it only on his left. The sudden change sent Naruto into a barrel roll -landing neatly on the final pillar.

Fortunately, this column did not shake.

Looking back, he could see that the pillars he had been on had crumbled into dust.

He stared at the plateau for a moment. There was an odd shimmer around it. Shrugging, Naruto leapt for the plateau – and bounced off. He managed to regain his wits just in time to land back on the pillar.

He looked up at the gleam surrounding the plateau; realising that he would never be able to jump over it.

Then he noticed something peculiar. Birds somehow were able to enter and leave at will.

"_So__, I will have to use the birds,"_ Naruto deduced.

He looked up and saw one of the birds was flying almost overhead. Without a second thought Naruto leapt up, also calling what Akaken had called a slipstream into existence to guide the bird directly underneath him.

Landing on the creature and balancing on one foot on its back, he called another updraft into existence to help support the bird as well as guide it through the shimmering shield surrounding the plateau.

His plan worked. He leapt off the bird as soon as he was above the plateau, but as he fell he realised that he was too high up to fully nullify the effects of the flight.

"_Unless__..."_

He changed positions so that he was laying flat in the air and than added some updraft over his entire body. The speed of his fall slowed dramatically and he came down slowly, sighing in relief.

A few metres from the ground, he swapped back to his upright position and landed lightly on his feet. Looking around him he saw that he had landed near the gold orb he had spotted. It was about the size of a peach and had two stumps on either side of it.

From here he could see what he couldn't from the first pillar; the orb was floating on an altar.

The altar had some pictograms on it showing a man leaping from pillar to pillar than doing something to a barrier and landing here. The final two images were of the orb as it was now and an orb that looked very similar, but instead of stumps there were wings which were spread out.

Looking up, Naruto stretched his hand out towards the orb. On touching it he found that the orb had a pleasant warmth to it. Then, wavering, it began to sink into his skin.

When only half was showing it moved round to the back of his wrist.

Glancing up in wonder, he was just in time to see two large creatures materialise in front of him.

"We guard the final pieces," they said in unison. They were identical. Both of them were large easily over seven foot and well built, half-bull half-man people. Both carried large axes in their hands and in the other showed one wing. The wings then faded into their skin.

"If you are worthy - come and take them!" they declared, holding the axes in a two handed grip before them.

Naruto drew two kunai and hurled them at his challengers. Both sidestepped the kunai and batted them down with the flat of their axes, surprisingly agile for their size. One of them charged towards him, raising his axe above his head, the other behind him ready for a horizontal slash if he evaded.

Naruto leapt over them both and, instantly dropping to the floor, he slashed at their hamstrings and rolled away immediately so he was not crushed by their bodies.

He looked back at the two creatures and paled. He hadn't damaged them at _all. _

One heaved the axe that he had slammed into the ground, where Naruto was just a second before.

"We are the Mother's guards! No mere metal can harm us!" they scoffed scornfully, before charging again.

This time, Naruto stood his ground and used his Kaze Yaiba to cut the blade of the first creature's axe. This creature showed some shock at the loss of the blades on his weapon, but kept charging and swung what was left of the axe like a club.

Surprised, Naruto leapt to the side, narrowly missing the crater that had been created by the monster's club. He looked ahead of him to see the second creature charging in an attempt to decapitate him. Naruto leapt up high. Spinning, he used the wind to increase the speed of his rotation.

He slammed his heel into the back of the creature's head. Then felt something break.

"_If I broke his skull then...__"_

Naruto landed and instantly fell down again. He tried to make it look natural, but his leg was bent at an unnerving angle. Ignoring the pain, he grabbed his leg and forced it into a more natural position.

He moved over to the creature planning to take the piece of the orb. The monster groaned and blearily opened its eyes.

"_Impossible__. How is it still alive?! I've broken trees with less force than that kick!" _

In awe of the thing before him, he regretfully focused wind magic into a kunai and prepared to kill the creature.

"Help!" someone screamed behind him.

Naruto spun. He was stunned to see a young woman on the ground, the other creature charging with its club raised above its head to hit her.

She yelled louder.

Naruto leapt towards her, using his magic.

"_Dammit__! I'm just not fast enough!"_

Then he had a thought. If he was pushing with the wind, perhaps by removing the wind ahead of him he could gain the speed he needed. He tried it gratefully.

It was just like the slipstream Akaken used to help guide his kunai.

"_Thank Kami Tou-san thought to tell me that I need to keep at least some air around my body all the time__."_

Landing near the woman, he picked her up and leapt away quickly, before setting her down and turning to face the creatures.

The one he had kicked had pulled itself up and now they were advancing towards him. He checked his reserves. He had about enough magic left for a shield, and then he would have to rely on something else.

He stood between the woman and the creatures. They were beginning to approach him menacingly.

He called on a little magic to help keep him upright, despite making the shield weaker. He had to.

"Your leg…" he heard the woman murmur. Looking down, he saw that the bone had pierced the skin in several places and he had streaks of blood running down his leg.

"_Odd__. Why isn't Kokoro-chan healing those?"_

He decided to ask her later.

Both monsters swung their weapons at him. He lifted his hands and created a shield with all his magic.

"_Run!"_ he yelled at her.

He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.

It never came. His magic ran out, and still - he still felt alive.

He opened his eyes. Kneeling before him were the two creatures.

They had their weapons on the floor next to them and their palms outstretched with the wings in their hands.

"Take them." It was the commanding voice of Father Sky.

"And you," he said, turning his attention to the woman, "May return to my daughter. Please pass along my thanks."

Naruto took the wings. "What are they?" he asked, referring to the creatures.

The father looked at him in surprise.

"Minotaurs, a gift from the mother for this test. It fits that you didn't know what they were, I suppose. We used to use them to break down castle walls - a good head-butt or two and the walls fell down. In any case, you pass."

He extended his hand and the orb with the wings attached floated fully into Naruto.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

The scene changed. They were back above the forest where Naruto had been dropped.

"It's time to spread your wings and fly!"

He vanished, and time resumed. Along with Naruto's fall.

"_Spread my wings...__"_ Naruto thought as he looked inside himself.

The pain was still there, and his leg was still broken. Then he looked where his magic had been and found that he now had a second reserve.

He heard something tear and saw that a pair of pure white wings had hurtled from his back, ripping a hole in his shirt.

He smirked and stretched his wings, pulling out of the dive into a level swoop.

Suddenly he saw a shape drop down just off to his right. He looked over as its wings snapped open.

"Yo," Akaken said. "How did you manage to break your leg?"

He had brought the others down to fly along side them.

"Spinning axe kick on the minotaurs."

"You got _minotaurs!_ He made me climb a cliff with no handholds - then he beat me in a staff fight!"

"Tou-san, how did you get your wings?" Naruto asked.

"First time I killed a Dark Revenant, we both went flying off a cliff. I got my wings before we smashed against the rocks at the bottom... he didn't."

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**Okay, no cliff-hanger and there aren't any Japanese terms in there I haven't used before, so the only thing left is to remind you about the poll...**

**R&R**


	15. Chapter 14

**Hey guys****, I finally have this chapter done so enjoy.**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking**_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products or characters I do however own Akaken and my other OC's**

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000****00000**

"Before I give you your weapons, you need to have some idea of how to use them," Akaken said. He was standing against a tree with two swords one above the other over his left hip, and carried a large wrapped package under his arm.

Hinata gazed at him, confused. "But how can we train with the weapons without knowing what they are, or what they feel like?"

"Because you've been using magic long enough for it to change your genetic make up. Naruto was particularly difficult."

"Because of Kokoro-chan?" Naruto asked.

"Who is Kokoro-san?" Shino enquired, stepping out of the trees.

Naruto sighed. "Well, we were going to tell you soon anyway. I have the Kyubi sealed within me. More accurately, I guess, he is sealed in Kokoro who is sealed within me. It's complicated, but she basically controls how much of his power and his influence I get. That's one of the reasons I heal so fast."

"Which is why it took so long for the magic to change your genetic make up," Akaken put in.

"So that's why the adults used to whisper 'demon child' before Akaken-sensei became your father," Shino murmured, undoing his coat so that his face showed.

"Yes."

"Anyway. Since you're not running, screaming or trying to kill him I think we can assume that you don't care, yes?"

Shino simply nodded.

"Well then," Akaken said, dismissing the matter quickly, "I have a new technique for you, Shino, which I will teach you in a second. Naruto, Hinata -now that your bodies have been permeated with magic, you should notice that your eyesight is sharper, and your body moves more like you're dominant with you barely noticing it."

Both Naruto and Hinata agreed.

"That magic links you to the memory of my people. Because our lives are so short we have very little time to learn to fight and even less time to teach so the Light Gods created a huge memory bank whenever one of us dies, his or her memories are stored in it."

Naruto's eyes widened as he realised what Akaken was saying.

"I'm going to teach you a spell that will link you to the memory banks but remember - there is a lot of memory stored there. You will have to be careful, Hinata, that you don't lose yourself." Stern for once, he stared at the team. "Naruto should be fine. Having the Kyubi and Kokoro in him has enhanced his sense of self."

Having finished his speech, he showed them a series of runes.

"This spell is different. It uses the pure magic and filters it through the runes so that anyone can use it. Runes can also be used for a few other spells, but I don't think I need to teach them to you yet."

Akaken left them to their spell casting. "Now, I have been researching chakra," he said to Shino, "and I think I have finally managed to turn this spell into a Jutsu for you."

Shino raised his eyebrows.

"Complete with hand seals. Don't worry!" He raised his eyebrows too in a playful mock of Shino's unconvinced expression. "It will either work or not. You won't have to worry about it going wrong and killing you. These are the seals; now, the technique will drain your chakra the longer you use it for - I have a few soldier pills, but I practiced the technique to pull you out before you run out of chakra."

Shino looked at him. "The name?"

"Oh right, yes, you like your names too much. How about... **Anei Kakuremino no Jutsu?"**

Shino shook his head, almost imperceptibly.

"What? We don't name them."

He sighed. "Forget it." He ran through the hand seals. Abruptly, his shadow leapt from the ground and wrapped itself around him like a second skin.

It took Shino down with it and it and lay on the floor.

"Shadows normally have something casting them, Shino. Try moving into the shadow of the tree."

The shadow stayed still for moment and then slowly began to pick up speed as Shino got used to the technique.

"What's the chakra drain like?"

"Manageable, although some exercises to expand my reservoirs would be useful."

"I'll go and ask Tsume now."

He vanished for about a minute before reappearing.

"She suggested using the water walking she showed you and trying to stay on the water as long as possible, or using a technique to keep emptying your reserves and resting. She also said to remind you that you would need a lot of food to help your reservoir to refill quickly."

He flicked his hand and a couple of boxes of rice balls and bacon appeared.

"I'm not quite sure what you normally eat, but this should give you your energy back."

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Hinata?" Naruto asked, dazed. He had managed to make the technique work only minutes ago but despite Akaken's assurances, the sudden rush of memories had been hard to take in and remain himself.

Hinata groaned. "Wha-? Where am I?" After a moment's pause, she added, "Who am I?"

Naruto's eyes widened in fear and shock, just as Akaken reappeared in the clearing.

"I-I think I remember you," Hinata whispered, gazing at Akaken. Her eyes flashed and she dropped her head into her hands as memories assailed her. Akaken's friends, his subordinates, his wife, she saw him through all of their eyes.

Akaken looked at her carefully.

"Naruto, hold her," he commanded. "Hinata! Remember who you are." He looked into her eyes. "Remember this feeling, this sight and find yourself..."

She looked into his eyes, and remembered the warmth of another's arms around her, the way his eyes would flick between the colours of the sky to the sea and the earth, she remembered his hair after she had tricked him into thinking that grey speckles were cool -

"No!" Akaken yelled, grabbing her. "Remember Naruto - remember your feelings for him. You are Hinata!" This time he forced a new scene into her mind. A forest, a large shuriken. With Naruto in the way.

Crying out, Hinata bolted forwards as her own memories reasserted themselves.

The girl ran and grabbed Naruto tightly, crying into his chest. He held her close against himself, gently stroking her hair as her sobs slowly subsided.

Akaken's gaze softened as he looked at them. "Training's over. Naruto, stay with Hinata. Make sure she's fully herself again," he said softly. "Go somewhere nice."

He turned to walk away with a heavy heart. Hinata remembering Bikutoria had opened old wounds which he had dared to hope had at long last healed.

"Sensei?"

Akaken turned to look at Shino. "Yes?"

"May I see Aikou?"

"Of course. You don't need to ask. I would say she isn't a prisoner... but she's under house arrest for another month." He smiled slightly. "Come. Would you rather walk or fly?"

"Actually, there is something else I would like to talk to you about. Two things."

"Follow me, you can tell me on the way."

They began to walk.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Was Hinata not coming back really a danger?" he asked, as they left the outskirts of Konoha.

"I wouldn't have thought so," Akaken confessed, "but she is only the third person to have that technique performed on her. We grow into the knowledge over three years but some children still get confused about who they are. They normally grow out of it after a few years." Then he added as an afterthought; "If they live that long."

"But you suggested it anyway. What happened to the other two?"

"That would be me and Naruto. Naruto's connection to Kokoro insulated him slightly but he still looked dazed." He paused. "As for me, I have more conscious entities in me than Naruto. There is me, Akaken, Shikyotenchi and Akuba; all of whom are more dominant and make their presence known. There is also four who are barely separate but are because of one of the techniques I experimented with a while ago. I held onto myself easily."

"But I thought you said you grew into the memories?"

"My people do, but when I was cursed with Akuba my link was severed. It becomes you that the first question you ask is of your team mate." He changed the subject. "Hokage-san would be very proud of you. What was your other question?"

Shino blushed slightly. Whether it was from the praise, Akaken was not sure.

"It's Aikou."

Akaken understood. He smiled. "Oh?"

Shino turned away. "I'm sorry - if this is as embarrassing for you..."

"Don't worry, nothing can embarrass me! You can probably expect the same from Naruto and Hinata now as well."

Shino looked confused.

"The memory spell doesn't filter anything. Not even the most intimate moments. I grew up with those memories, and both Naruto and Hinata will have them as well. It serves a good defence against succubi."

"Well – it's just I feel kind of different around her, like I can relax, and there's a warmth just below my heart. I would ask Otou-san but he is always busy with the clan, and besides. No-one in the clan ever seems to feel anything. It's always about duty."

Akaken almost laughed at his predicament. "I know what it is. Don't worry, it's normal."

He grinned as he had a thought. "Why don't you ask Aikou about it? I'm certain that she knows."

"Really?"

"Really," Akaken said solemnly.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Aikou. You have a guest," Akaken called as he entered the house. "Come on," he told Shino, "she's probably in the living room, watching a memory."

As they entered the living room, he saw Aikou visibly catch her breath. She was wearing a pair of loose brown combats with a green shirt. Shino's coat was draped around her shoulders. "I-I should probably give this back to you," she murmured, removing the coat from her shoulders.

"But you might want to wash it; she hasn't taken it off since you gave it to her!" Akaken put in with a cheeky smile.

"_Akaken!_" she screamed, face bright red with embarrassment.

Akaken grinned, laughing at their expressions. "I'll leave you two be now. I have a new toy I want to play with." He turned and walked out, winking at Aikou as he left.

"**Do you?"**

"_Have a new toy? No. You wouldn't understand__, Akuba. Don't even try."_

In the privacy of his room, Akaken summoned an image of his beloved wife.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Um Aikou-san?" Shino said hesitantly.

"It's not true," she mumbled.

"I wouldn't mind. You can keep it if you want"

"Really?" she said, eyes lighting up. "You don't mind?"

"Of course not," he said, a rare smile gracing his lips.

"Thank you," she said, quickly dimpling. Shino felt the warmth grow in his chest.

"Umm Aikou-chan, may I call you that?"

"Of course. You can call me whatever you want."

"I was talking to Akaken on the way here, and he said I should talk to you about what I was feeling..." Shino blushed. It seemed much harder to say this to Aikou. What if she didn't understand? What if she hated him for it? He banished such thoughts - she wouldn't blame him for something he didn't understand, would she?

"What are you feeling?" she asked shyly. He noticed that the lights had been slowly dimming throughout the course of the evening. Was Akaken trying to say something to them? Sunset wasn't for a few hours yet.

"It's hard. It's like a warmth near my heart, and when you smile it's like something…" he left the sentence hanging, noticing that it was getting a little warm in the room. He removed his jacket, laying it besides the jacket he noticed Aikou had just taken off. "Akaken said that you might know what it was." He looked at her hopefully, taking in her features, the way her high cheekbones glinted in the light, the way her eyes glinted in the slight light of the glowing sun. Even the soft quality of her lips seemed to be enhanced and engraved in his mind.

"Haven't you ever been told?" She had edged closer to him as they sat on the sofa and now she wrapped her arms round his neck. "It's love." She pulled him towards her and kissed him lightly on the lips.

It was incredible. There were no words to describe what he felt. It was as if an electric current had been passed through him, and yet it seemed so right. It was as if she completed him. He wanted, _needed_ to be close to her but from what he had heard - he was afraid he would drive her away. If he wasn't careful, he would lose this. He would be broken and nothing could complete him ever again.

He leaned in and kissed her and this time she held him there, simply enjoying the wondrous feeling of his lips against hers by the light of the setting sun.

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**And that's it for this one. Just a heads up, but the end is in sight - I'm not sure exactly how many more chapters it will be but it probably won't be too many. He says.**

**Translations**

Anei Kakuremino no jutsu --- Shadow Cloak technique

**N****ote on the translation Kakuremino literally translates as magic cloak of invisibility.**

**R&R**


	16. Chapter 15

**Hey guys, I'm finally back and with the start of the Chuunin exams arc.**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking**_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products or characters I do however own Akaken and my other OC's**

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"_Right_. Let's try this again," Akaken said. It had been nearly a week since the last disastrous attempt to give his students their weapons. Hinata had finally recovered, and was able to delve into the memories without losing herself.

Like last time, Akaken had two swords at his hip. Both Katana style, however, one had a simple black sheath and the other none. He was also carrying a parcel.

"Another spell?" Hinata asked quietly, fearing the worst.

Akaken laughed. "No. I'm just going to give you your weapons."

He called Naruto forward. Whilst drawing the sword from the black sheath it gleamed a blood-like crimson before dulling slightly, leaving Naruto to wonder whether it had been a trick of the light.

"This was my first sword. My parents died before I could receive their weapons, so I forged this one myself when I was three." He saw the puzzled look on their faces.

"How could you have forged it at three? You couldn't have been tall enough to reach the forge, let alone the bellows," Shino asked frankly.

"My kind ages differently, and so will Hinata and Naruto now. We have an accelerated growth and reach the mental and physical maturity of what amounts to a fifteen-year-old here in three years. Then we stop aging until we reach fifteen, then age like you do until we reach twenty – and when we stop aging altogether. We can still die of old age though," he said, then as an afterthought, "if we live long enough."

"Why does it look like that?" Naruto inquired, looking closely at the sword.

"Its red colour? The enemy contaminated the water supply so I cooled it in my blood, and it's had that shine ever since. Hold out your hands." Naruto held his hands out.

Blood spurted.

Naruto's eyes widened but he didn't have time to worry about it because Akaken had thrown the sword at him, hilt first.

He lunged, catching it instinctively. His right hand, near the blade, his left closer to the bottom of the hilt. The sword shone crimson again for a second before returning to its slightly dull gleam.

"What was _that_ for?" Naruto yelled, breathing heavily at the shock and more than slightly outraged.

"What was what for?"

"Cutting me!" Naruto replied, incredulous.

"I cut you? Where?"

Naruto raised his hands indignantly. "Right here on my…"

He stopped short, staring at his hands. There was no cut. Not even a scar.

Akaken smirked at Naruto's dumbfounded expression. "He is yours. Now go practice with him - see what you can do now that he has accepted you."

Naruto left to one corner of the training ground, still gazing with some disbelief at his sword.

Akaken turned to Hinata, "No, you don't need to cut your hands," he said, noticing the doubts in her face. "Your weapon has not yet been touched by anyone and because the Life stone has changed it into elemental metal, it will recognise the first person to touch it as its first master. If you want to pass it on, though, the receiver will have to cut their hands."

That said, he unwrapped the parcel carefully avoiding having to touch what was inside.

They were a pair of what could only be described as claws. Composed of a thin bracelet with five simple chains connecting to curving claw-like objects which would cover her entire finger, and they had a point which covered her knuckle. The metal itself had a sapphire sheen, except for the part covering her knuckle which was clear and reminded her of diamond.

"How do I put them on?" she asked. There was no break in the bracelet and it would not fit over her hand.

"Channel some magic into it," he suggested.

As she did so, the claws rippled, losing their form and covering her hand like a glove, before returning to its original shape - but attached to her hand. The thin bracelet fitted nicely against her wrist and she could feel the metal against her fingers. Rather than metal, it felt like a second skin bending seamlessly with her flesh.

"Why don't you hit something with them? Hit this tree and force magic out of the glove at the same time."

Hinata nodded. She pulled back her fist to punch the tree, expelling her magic slightly before the impact.

The trunk snapped easily under her punch and she jumped out of the way, amazed.

"Nicely done. The claw enhances your magic, based on your affinities, which complement each other quite nicely. This is what I saw." Spinning, he punched a nearby tree, keeping the dust away with his wind magic. Where he had punched had become dry and brittle whilst his knuckles had taken on a diamond like shine. The tree broke and fell next to the previous one, and behind it Hinata could see a large globe of water floating in the air.

"As you can see, your water element has removed the water from the area you punched, making it brittle and your earth element hardened the gloves and enhanced your strength slightly. Go practice and see what else you can do."

"What about me, Akaken-sensei?" Shino asked quietly.

"As you can guess, your weapon is not like the others." From one of his pockets he drew a pair of kunai. Unlike normal kunai, however, these had a straight blade which then curved down and looked a little like the knives used for cooking. "These are called tankyoriken. I've forged them from shadow skin so they will be able to store shadow type chakra for your shadow technique as well as any other shadow techniques you use."

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Hey, pups!" Tsume yelled as she arrived at the devastation which used to be Training Ground Eight. Most of the trees had been felled and destroyed, the river had been split into so many streams that the ground had become a marsh, whilst the air had so much sawdust and debris in it that she could barely see a foot in front of her. The smell of it was assailing her nose, making tracking difficult.

Suddenly a black shape appeared in front of her, swinging a long red Katana in a swift diagonal slash.

"Got you now, Akaken-sensei!" the figure yelled. Tsume had no time to ponder this. Acting on instinct, she sidestepped the sword - batting it away with her hand and jabbing at where the figure's throat should be.

But before she could make contact, a tendril of water appeared from her right. She dropped down onto all fours, her hands beginning to make a hand seal. Suddenly she felt her hands sink into the marsh and a blade at her throat with another above her heart.

Shino looked at her for a moment before stating, "Tsume-sensei?"

"You only just noticed?" she growled back.

"Sorry Tsume, that would be my fault. I wasn't expecting you and so I suggested a sparring session. Here." He closed his eyes and after a few moments of concentration, the training ground was back to the state it had been in before the session.

"_Thank_ you," Tsume said, freeing herself from the ground. "What I actually came to tell you was that I've put you all forward for the chuunin exams."

"Do you really think were ready?" Hinata asked.

Tsume looked at her incredulously. "You could just have killed me, a jounin, and you're asking if you're ready to take the chuunin exams? I seriously couldn't do anything at that point. The plan worked perfectly, but if you think you're not ready all you need to do is not sign the form. When you're done, bring them to room 301 in the academy. You will be allowed to participate irrespective of your teammates choices."

At this point Akaken looked at her sharply.

"_Go along with it. They must decide for themselves whether to participate or not,"_ she thought at Akaken.

"_Very well, but next time try not to lie to them about it. Akaken."_ Akaken replied directly into her mind, careful to leave his name at the end of the thought. It could be very difficult to differentiate between the sounds of people's thoughts when you were only used to hearing one thought.

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"Hey, guys!" Naruto yelled as he met up with the rest of the team outside the Academy, his sword on his left hip.

A chorus of greetings met him.

"Shall we head up then?"

"In a minute," a new voice said behind them. Turning quickly they saw Akaken standing behind them. "Don't worry - it's nothing big. I just wanted to remind you, you are a team of ninja, you couldn't have taken the test if one of you decided you didn't want to or weren't ready. Having said that, you guys are perhaps the best students I've ever had. Go on and remember that if you can outclass every ninja from the other nations, it will make that country think twice about invading."

He smiled and faded from sight.

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"We're only on the second floor, aren't we?" Shino asked, pointing out the large crowd which had gathered outside the room at the top of the stairs.

"Yeah. Looks like they put a genjutsu on the sign," Naruto replied, smirking slightly. Since he had started to use magic he had noticed that if he concentrated on them he could see through most low-level genjutsu. Akaken had later explained that because a genjutsu was an opponent using chakra to manipulate thoughts, enemy ninja would have a harder time casting one on him since they would have to use enough chakra to control the pure magic running through his body.

"Let's just slip past them, Hinata! Remember the sides a walking black figure is quite noticeable," Naruto teased.

"Hey, that's not fair. That was only once. At least _I_ never dropped my claws through my foot."

Shino sighed, before making hand-seals and becoming a shadow. Naruto looked at him.

"Spoilsport," he said reproachfully, before the air shimmered and he faded from sight. Hinata concentrated for a while before the air became slightly humid and she too vanished.

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"Hey, Shikamaru-san," said a voice behind Shikamaru. He jumped and turned to face… nothing?

Naruto chose that moment to appear behind Ino. "Boo."

Ino screamed and turned to slap him. He quickly ducked and joined his teammates by the door, laughing.

"Naruto, that was _mean_," Hinata chastised.

"But funny." To this, Hinata had no argument.

"So, how have you guys been?" Naruto asked.

"Fine until you came along," Ino snapped. "What were you trying to do? Give me a heart attack?"

"Logically, that would be one less team for us to fight," Shino said in a monotone which left Ino in doubt as to whether he was joking or not.

Fortunately Ino, was saved from having to reply by the arrival of Sasuke and a large number of other teams.

"Sasuke-kun!" Ino squealed, wrapping her arms round Sasuke's neck. He roughly shoved her off.

"You guys might want to keep it down..." A voice came through that they did not recognise.

Naruto and Hinata were instantly on alert. "Who are you?" they asked simultaneously.

"Kabuto. You must be Shikyotenchi-san and this charming young lady Hyuga-san. I thought I should warn you - this is no social gathering and definitely not any place for a rookie."

"Hey, who are you to decide that?" Ino shouted at him.

"This is my seventh exam." He smiled weakly.

"So you can't be good enough to pass. What does this have to do with us?" she said, unperturbed.

"Or this exam is harder than you think," he sighed. "If you plan to continue, I suppose you'll need all the help you can get. I have some information on everyone here."

"Give me information on Gaara and Shikyotenchi Naruto!" Sasuke immediately demanded.

"You even know their names? That's no fun." He took out a pack of cards, and pulling one from it, he said, "Gaara of Suna; missions completed: 47 C-rank and 1 B-rank. Abilities; sand techniques, unknown genjutsu, unknown Taijutsu. He has never been injured on a mission and is the current Kazekage's youngest son, his siblings are Kankurou and Temari, both of whom are his teammates."

He pulled out another card. "Shikyotenchi Naruto; missions completed: 40 D-ranks, 20 C-ranks and 1 A-rank. Abilities," Kabuto blinked, "No chakra but utilizes wind techniques freely and has recently acquired a sword. Taijutsu is good. His teammates are Hinata Hyuga and Aburame Shino."

At that point, the room was filled with smoke. A large voice boomed through. "Listen up, maggots! The time for chitchat is over... "

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**Okay, done. And I finally get to start the Chuunin exam arc.**

**Translations**

Tankyoriken --- short blade

**Please R&R**


	17. Chapter 16

**Hey guys****. There are a few notes on why I've changed some of the names at the end.**

**Bold writing – demonic or summoned creatures speaking and technique names**

_**Bold italics – demons or summoned beings thinking**_

_Italics – people talking inside other's heads or thinking_

Normal – either descriptions or humans

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any affiliated products or characters I do however own Akaken, my other OC's and original techniques.**

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As the smoke cleared, a large man, his face covered in scars, could be seen. Behind him were 10 chuunin, all with clipboards and dressed in grey. The scarred ninja moved like a panther, set apart by his swirling black trench-coat.

"I am your proctor for the first part of the Chuunin exams. If you haven't figured out what this part of the exam is yet, then you obviously shouldn't be here," the man declared, mentally noting the fifteen ninja who didn't look around or look particularly shocked to see the pieces of paper which had appeared face down on the tables in the smoke.

"The rules for the exam are as follows. You have ten points, you lose one point for every question you get wrong and two points if you're caught cheating. To that end, these chuunin will be watching you."

A chuunin who had bandages over one eye and appeared to be quietly studying the trees outside abruptly threw a kunai, pinning a fly to the far end of the wall through its wings. Only after hearing it connect did he appear to look.

"Sorry, it was bugging me," he said calmly.

"_Well __done Mekakushi. That should give the impression that nothing escapes you,"_ the scarred man thought.

With a wide grin, he turned to the ninja. "You may have heard the saying - 'he wouldn't hurt a fly.' Well, you should really be grateful that you're not flies, shouldn't they, Mekakushi?"

A slight smile fluttered across the chuunin's thin lips.

"If you reach zero points before the end of the test," he continued, "you will have failed in one of the most basic aspects of being a ninja and will fail this part of the exam. The final question will be given out in the final ten minutes of the exam. Any questions?"

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Taking his seat beside a Rain ninja and Temari, Naruto quickly manipulated the wind around Hinata and Shino.

"Don't worry too much about what he said. Tou-san occasionally drops down to help out in the interrogation department. This is the head, Morino Ibiki, and, well - I've been told that he just loves to mess with people's heads."

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the change in the glint from the light on Shino's lenses, which signified a nod. Some of the moisture on the inside of his arm froze into the word "understood".

"You may begin," Ibiki called, once everyone was seated.

Leaning against the table, the shadows cast by Naruto's sword swirled to form a message.

"These questions are way above genin level. The Academy taught us information gathering was the most important part of being a Ninja, and Akaken-sensei mentioned it as well. The man next to me began writing immediately and has roughly Chuunin level reserves, a plant?"

Naruto replied to both Hinata and Shino. "Probably. These pens are full of ink –Hinata, you should have no problem manipulating the water in them. Don't try to use your Byakugan, though. Neji is three seats to the right of me and he just got caught trying to activate it. He seems to have given it up now. There may be seals to prevent it."

The word "Suggestions?" froze itself against his arm. Naruto thought for a moment before glancing at the window.

"Shino, is the Chuunin done?"

The shadows quickly swirled to form the word, "yes."

"Then I'll create a distraction. Hinata, lean over the table slightly more. Shino - copy the Chuunin's answers into the shadows made by Hinata leaning over the table, and Hinata, we'll hold the pens lightly manipulate the ink and the water in our hands to copy down the answers. Understood?"

Both the shadows and the word on his arm was, again, "yes."

"Distraction in, three, two, one!"

Suddenly a large gust of wind blew in through an open window. The paper on the clipboards and the desk was hurled into disarray - and Ibiki and the other chuunin covered their eyes awkwardly whilst Shino copied down the answers.

The plan had worked perfectly.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"All right, pens down," Ibiki called as the clock on the wall hit ten to twelve. "Before I give out the tenth question, there are a few more rules for it that you should be aware of. For starters, this is an all or nothing question. All of you who are still here will pass if you can correctly answer this question. Secondly - you can choose whether or not to take this question. If you choose not to take it, leave your name and number with the Chuunin at the door and you may participate next time. If however you get the question wrong … you will be forbidden from ever taking the chuunin exams again along with the rest of your team. Choose now," he commanded.

"Can he?" The question froze onto Naruto's hand.

"I don't know even if he could. It can only really be enforced in Konoha so it's unlikely, but if he had the Hokage's backing … maybe. Shino, can your bugs tell us what the Chuunin is feeling?" Naruto replied through the wind.

"Surprise and a little curiosity. I don't think he was expecting this - he keeps glancing around." Shino's eyes narrowed. "I think this may be a mind-game."

"Let's go with that, then. Hopefully we can let the competition reduce themselves a little."

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

It had been five minutes since Ibiki's declaration and the number of teams still remaining had dwindled to twelve. Amongst them were the Rookie Nine, as they had dubbed themselves, Neji's team, Gaara's team and Kabuto's team.

"_I think that's all of them. B__est continue knowing Anko's - she'll be early again,"_ Ibiki thought.

"All right then, maggots. The final question is …

... you pass." His grim face changed into a wicked smile.

"What!?" Kiba cried.

"You heard. You pass. As I'm sure most of you have gathered, the point of this exercise was to collect information without being caught. To do this you needed information to gather, and for that reason, we planted two Chuunin in the room."

At this point a man on the front row stood up, along with the man beside Shino.

"The final question is simply a test of your courage. Even with such a risk, are you prepared to continue a mission? Remember at Chuunin you will be expected to take on missions with other ninja as your enemy. It will not be your rank at risk, but your life - if you're not prepared to risk that, then you have no business being a ninja."

Ibiki removed his head band to show his head, covered with scars ranging from circles to long thick cuts.

"Remember," he said, "gathering information is important but it can be even more important to be sure that that information is correct. Anything false can lead to capture... or death," he said merrily, replacing the headband.

At that moment the window cracked and a large black ball came flying in. The corners of the ball exploded, pinning across a large black banner with white writing reading:

"World's sexiest Kunoichi

And

Second proctor of the Chuunin exams:

Mitarashi Anko"

Standing in front of it was a kunoichi with short purple hair tied into a spiky bun. She could be described as a little scantily clad, with a brown miniskirt, see-through fishnet leggings to match the shirt – and to complete the outfit, she had an unbuttoned brown trenchcoat. Very unbuttoned.

"All right, maggots. The second part of the exams is at training ground 44, although you genin probably know it better as the Forest of Death. Follow me, small guys, and anyone not there in…" she looked around the room, "_Ibiki!_ You moved that _bloody_ clock again!"

"You have three minutes, Anko." A calm voice came from behind the banner. Evidently whoever Ibiki was, he was well used to Mitarashi Anko.

The woman regained her composure remarkably quickly. "Anyone not there in - three minutes - will be disqualified!" With that, she leapt out of the window.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto and his team were the first to arrive, only seconds after Anko. There was a large fence around the training area. The whole forest gave off a slightly murderous feel.

"Aw, that's no fun!" she pouted, looking directly at the _little people _for the first time. "You all made it! And after Ibiki promised I could play with any that fell behind, too..."

Kiba looked at Sakura, muttering. "Crazy psycho b--"

He was cut off as a kunai whizzed past his cheek.

"You have something to say?" Anko asked silkily from behind him. "I should warn you there are things in there that like the taste of blood _even_ more than I do."

The woman was suddenly clutching him tightly as she licked the blood off his cheek. She dropped him with a sniff, eyes following his path back to Sakura with slight amusement.

"Anyway," she sighed with seemingly genuine regret. "Fun and games over for now. The second part of the exam is an exercise which simulates a mission. You sign these forms saying that it's not Konoha's fault if you die in there..." Her gaze flicked over to Kiba, who shivered. "You'll be given a scroll with either the kanji for ten or makai. Your objective is to get both scrolls and proceed to the tower in the centre. You have until noon five days from now to complete the 'mission'. And I shouldsay good luck, I _suppose_... have a good one, maggots."

She handed out the forms before giving Kiba one last predatory look and slipping into one of the tents.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

The teams had entered the forest an hour ago. Naruto's team had begun with a full out sprint towards the tower, and they only stopped now to enter a small cave.

"Which scroll do we have?" Naruto asked.

"Ten," Hinata answered.

Naruto smirked. "Well, how ironic."

"What do we know about the other teams?" Shino asked.

"Gaara's team will be pretty strong." Naruto got back to business. "Suna have a much lower mission income than Konoha - if one team has done that many missions and come out unscathed, they are definitely very powerful."

"We will also want to avoid other teams from Konoha," Hinata supplied.

"Then that leaves the Oto team, two from Ame, two from Kusa and one from Kumo. Shall we try the team from--"

"Well, well. What do we have here, then?" The male voice came from the north of the cave. As he stepped into the light, his headband identified him as a Kumo ninja. His two team-mates entered the cave behind him.

Naruto looked at his team. "Nice of them to save us the effort of looking for them, eh?"

"If you think that you can defeat us, you're sorely mistaken. We've been training for this for years." The Kumo nin to the right of the first ninja spoke boastfully.

"Oh really?" Naruto's eyes widened. "I never would have guessed that anyone might actually _train_ for an exam. That sure puts us in our place." Hinata giggled slightly at the comment, whilst Naruto recognised a slight change in the rhythm of Shino's Kikai which suggested he was chuckling as well.

"At least Rakurai-san can do something more than joke."

"Very well, then. Shall we fight?" Naruto asked, barely keeping the boredom from his voice.

While simultaneously cutting down two trees blocking off the entrance to the cave and plunging the cave into darkness. Just before the second tree landed, the Kumo nin called Rakurai leapt out.

"What a pity, one got out!" Naruto stage-whispered. "Ah, well. I'll go deal with him."

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Rakurai had grabbed a tight hold on the roots of the top tree and was trying to heave it off and away from the cave when Naruto reappeared.

"You might want to quit that, you know," Naruto said airily as a wind blade sliced of the root he was trying to lift the tree off by.

"How did you get out?" he yelled, grabbing a kunai.

"Don't get your hopes up. Your team-mates can't copy it. Actually, the closest would be Hinata-chan and even she couldn't do it exactly like this. You know something else? I'd _like_ to see this training of yours."

Rakurai smirked, before charging him.

"Oh, you're thicker than I thought," Naruto said, drawing his sword straight into an attack aimed to slice Rakurai in half. He resisted the urge to say _duh. _"My sword has a much longer range than a kunai."

Rakurai's smirk simply grew wider as he dodged away, throwing his kunai at Naruto who easily batted it down. "**Raiton: Rakurai no jutsu!**" A bolt of lightning leapt from his hands towards Naruto, who quickly planted his sword in the ground to earth out the attack.

"Clever. After a technique has become elemental, it takes on the properties of that element. Most simply attack it and waste chakra to counter," Rakurai told him. "For that you may know the name of the man who kills you. I am Reikou Rakurai."

"In that case, it's only _fair_ that you know my name. I am Kaizoe-Akaken Naruto. Well, officially I'm Shikyotenchi Naruto but that's just because that's how this system works."

"I don't need to know the name of a dead man! **Raiton: Gotama no jutsu." **A little chagrined, Naruto leapt out of the way of the lightning bullets.

"Oh, you want to use bullets?" He thrust his hand out. On pure instinct, Rakurai dodged down and to his right away from the cave. He glanced back, surprised to see that the tree and the rock behind it had holes in them.

"I guess I can't go easy on you. It's time you learnt why my name among our ninja is Raidoragon. **Shinko Henge: Hito-doragon no Jutsu.**"

Naruto jumped back quickly as lightning began to crackle around Rakurai.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

"Kai!" both of the Kumo nin in the cave cried.

Nothing happened.

From the shadows at one of their feet, a short blade flashed, hamstringing one of the ninja before vanishing.

"Sukai!" the uncut ninja cried, before Hinata appeared out of thin air behind him. Her claws already on her hand - she shredded his arms and vanished.

"Surrender, or we shall kill you," came a deep monotone which reverberated around the cave. In response, Sukai began making hand seals.

Only for Hinata to appear and shred his hands with her claws and then disappear again.

"This will be your final warning. You are both unable to perform hand signs or use kunai. At this point – surrender," the monotone repeated.

Both of the Kumo nin began to laugh. "Never! Our team-mate has only stayed behind for he is already at _least_ high chuunin."

Shino appeared out of the shadows behind them, lightly cutting the back of their necks before Hinata tapped them with a Jyuuken tap to knock them unconscious. Then she tenderly left sterile pads pressed against their necks.

"That Jyuuken will keep them unconscious for a few hours," Hinata said.

"I laced the bandages with a poison which will speed the healing on their arms but leave them in a coma for a week. Do either of them have a scroll?"

"Yes. It's a ten scroll but since they won't be using it, it could come in handy."

"Agreed."

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

Naruto looked up at Rakurai. His form had changed - eyes turning a whitish blue with a black slit down the centre, and he had grown large wings and a long tail of the same colour, launching himself into the sky.

"You really are quite thick, aren't you? Well, I suppose you can't really have known..." Saying that, Naruto tapped into his second magic reserve, allowing his wings to spread out from his back and joining Rakurai in the sky.

"I am a Wind-lord. The sky itself has acknowledged me as worthy of wielding some of its majesty. _You,_ however, are trespassing. Something I cannot permit."

With that said, he created a strong updraft behind him and used his wind blade to cut off Rakurai's hands with his updraft.

"You have to concentrate too much to use that technique. It is useless on the battlefield! End it now, and I will not kill you."

Rakurai nodded, allowing the technique to end. Naruto caught him and glided gently down. Hinata bandaged his hands and placed him in the cave with his team-mates, for when the ANBU searched the forest after the exam.

"Which scroll did they have?"

"Ten."

"Could come in handy, I suppose".

At that point, a Kikai entered the clearing, flying straight for Shino. He studied its movements before speaking slowly. "Sasuke's team has been split up by someone with huge chakra reservoirs. Apparently they were larger even than Tsume-sensei's."

Naruto looked at him, wide eyed, before recovering. "Send a message to your father or one of the ANBU with your Kikai. We'll go and back Sasuke's team up - if it turns out to be an invasion, you've got the best chance of escaping and warning others..."

Shino nodded solemnly.

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**Translations**

Mekakushi ------ Eye bandage

Ten -------------- Heaven

Makai ------------ Hell

Ame -------------- Rain

Oto --------------- Sound

Kusa -------------- Grass

Kumo ------------- Cloud

Suna -------------- Sand

Rakurai ----------- Bolt of lightning

Reikou ------------ Cold light

Kaizoe-Akaken – Second red blade

Gotama ---------- Five bullets

Raidoragon ------ Lightening dragon

Shinko Henge: Hito-doragon – True Transformation: Man-dragon

Sukai ------------- Sky

**For a****nyone unclear, the Rookie Nine refers to Naruto, Sasuke, Shino, Kiba, Chouji, Shikamaru, Hinata, Ino and Sakura - only because they were fresh out of the Academy when they took the Chuunin exam.**

**The name change:**

**S****ince Naruto lives and is raised by Akaken and has largely kept himself separate from Konoha, he has adopted Akaken's naming system. Which is essentially like the Norse idea of acquiring names and will play a role later on - you have a name you are given when you are born (Naruto), and in Akaken's culture this is a true name and holds a lot of power until you gain another name. Akaken does not hide it as no-one in that world can use it against him; after that you acquire names based on deeds. The red sword accepting Naruto as its second master means that Naruto is worthy a name to accompany it (Kaizoe-Akaken). **

**Titles:**

**Since e****veryone in Akaken's world had some element, titles such as Wind-lord hold no power. Only the top level holds any power, so the name Spirit-lord or similar hold no power over a person. However Akaken has earned the highest rank (Angel), so the name Shikyotenchi has some power over him.**

**Thanks.**** If anything's still unclear leave it in a review and I will try and explain better. R&R!**


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